Through the Eyes of a Handmaiden: Rabé's Story
by Emma Kenobi
Summary: Set during and before The Phantom Menece, this is the story of one of Queen Amidala's Handmaidens, Rabé Napola, her life before and her journey during TPM.
1. Chapter 1

Through the Eyes of a Handmaiden

Rabé's Story

**By: Emma Kenobi**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Synopsis:  The life of Queen Amidala's Handmaiden, Rabé Napola, before and during TPM.**

**Disclaimer:  If I owned Star Wars, or any of these characters, and could be making money off this, do you really think it would be up on the Internet for all to see? ;)**

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                My parents where not supposed to get married.  

Father was the son of a noblewoman and an ex-security officer and was engaged to another woman.  Mother was the daughter of the Ma'lacian ambassador.  They met in the Naboo court, and the rest is history.  Father called off his engagement, they got married and Father went on to become a powerful merchant with contacts all over the galaxy, until my brother Natan was born, and he handed things over to his second, came home for good and got involved in Naboo politics.  

My brother Jayen was born two years after Natan, and I was born two years after Jayen, on Naboo.   Two brothers followed: Rayel and Jonas.

My name is Rabé Aleen Napola, and this is my story.

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                When I was six months old, my parents were asked to be the ambassadors to Ma'lacia from Naboo.  They said yes.  I grew up there and Ma'lacian became my native language.   When I was three, my brother Rayel was born, and a year after him, my brother Jonas was born.  I don't know how my mother gave birth so many times.  I think I would have killed myself halfway through the first time.  I learned Basic when I was four because that was the only language my Naboo grandparents could speak.  So, by the time I was five, I was bilingual.        

                Ma'lacia was a beautiful, tropical world covered mainly by oceans, and a perfect place to get into loads of trouble.  I liked to follow my brothers around when I was young; I absolutely adored Natan and Jayen, because they were older than me.  I was fearless, with a desperate need to prove myself to them and their friends.  I would do any challenge they asked me to do and often got either in trouble or hurt doing them.  I was quite the tomboy, but then, I thought it was normal because that was what my brothers did. 

                One day, when I was only six, I tagged along with Natan, Jayen and four or five of their Ma'lacian friends, a merchant's son, the prince and princess of Ma'lacia, a Duke's son and the governor's son.  We went to the local park, which was had a beach and a bluff with a large tree on top of it, we went up to the top.  Climbing trees was a favorite pastime of ours.  The merchant's son, Kasen, who was two years older than me, looked at me with an evil glint in his eyes.

                Dare you to climb it little baby. He said snidely to me.

                My lips formed a thin line as my pudgy hands balled into fists.  _Nobody_ called me a baby and didn't pay for it.  I took a step forward, but Natan stopped me.  I gave him an evil look and lifted my nose to Kasen.

                Fine. I said imperiously.  I will. Natan and Jayen exchanged looks and the princess, Talia, ran up to me and smiled.  Me and her were pretty good friends.  We had to be.  We were the only two girls.  

                You can do it! She said positively.  I nodded, and smiled at her, but felt sick to my stomach inside.

                I know.

                Rabé, you don't have to- Natan begun.

                Yes I do! I told him, shocked that he thought I couldn't do it.  I turned away from them and walked over to the tree.  It was a matter of pride on my part.  I was scared out of my mind, but determined not to show it.  We had never climbed trees like _this_ before.  I stepped up to the base of it and slowly reached up to the first limb.  I hauled myself up and climbed.  

                My fear vanished with every meter I went higher.  The size of the tree didn't matter, it was just a tree, like many of the others I had climbed. I smirked confidently to my self and reached for the next branch, lifting my foot.  My foot landed on a wobbly branch and for a second, all of my slight weight was on that branch.  There was a loud snap, and suddenly, I was falling.  

I screamed and I could hear the boys and the Talia yelling.  I hit my back on a branch, then my side and my legs, my dress torn and twigs raked at my face and hair.  I hit the ground with a thud and Natan and Jayen were there in a flash.  Kasen was laughing.  Talia had an angry look on her face and her brother, Mikel, was restraining her from jumping on him.  Tears welled in my eyes, but they didn't fall, not yet.  Natan hurried over to me, checking me over and whispered to me in Ma'lacian.

                Ignore him, if you cry, he wins. I stared at Natan and nodded.  I looked over his shoulder.

                Maybe you should climb to the top! I said, my voice only wavering slightly.  The Kasen looked at me and stopped laughing.  I stood up and Natan and Jayen took me home.  My father had a heart attack.  Mother smiled and helped me clean up my cuts, scratches and skinned knee.  Mikel and Talia told their father about it when they went back home, and apparently father heard all about it the next day at court.  

I was a constant source of embarrassment to my parents, or so they thought.  I think the King of Ma'lacia and his family were amused by me.  Finally, when I was eight, my parents gave up, and shipped me and Natan back to Naboo.  I was to live with my grandparents in the Southern Naboo city of Oxon and Natan was to live in Theed and take the Royal Exams.  My parents figured that if anyone could turn me into a lady, it would be my grandmother.

                My grandmother was a _very_ feminine woman and was absolutely appalled when she met me at the spaceport in Oxon, where they lived, all hyper and excited from my starship ride over from Ma'lacia.  I had loved it, I was dirty from spilling juice all over my dress and rumpled and over-energized from sitting too long.  Looking back, I can distinctly remember the look of shock and horror on her face, but that's what happens when you are raised with boys.

                She immediately took me under her wing of "womanhood" and tried to make me a "proper lady of Naboo".  I totally rejected it at first, but she slowly began to wear on me.  She took me to the marketplace one day to find a new coverlet for my bed.  We walked by a weaver's stand filled with many blankets woven from silk thread.  They were beautiful.  I slipped my hand out of my grandmother's and went over to the stand.  There was another girl there, with dark black hair and very pale skin.  I stood by her and we stared at the tapestries together.

                "Which one do you like best?"  She asked me finally.

                "That one."  I said, pointing to a green, blue and gold wave-patterned one.  "It reminds me of the ocean."

"The ocean?  You've seen an ocean?"  She asked, confused.  "There aren't any oceans on Naboo."

"Yeah, I saw them on a planet called Ma'lacia."  I said.  "I used to live there."

                "Really?  Wow."  She blinked and stuck her hand out.  "My name is Yané Akari."

                I shook her hand.  "Rabé Napola."  

                "Rabé!"  Came by grandmother's shrill cry.  We both looked to the source of the cry.

                "Uh oh."  I said.

                "Yané!"  Came another woman's angry shout.  We looked to the source of that cry as well.

                "Uh oh."  Yané said.  We looked at each other and laughed.  My grandmother descended on us just as a woman who I assumed was Yané's mother stalked towards us.  They both stared scolding us at the same time.  It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.  

~~~


	2. Chapter 2

Yané converted me to vegetarianism when I was nine.  My grandmother called in the local expert to evaluate my strengths, and the tall, skinny, feminine man who scared me, told my grandmother to enroll me in a dance class.  I was wary at first, but with Yané and my grandfather's, whom I call Papi, encouragement I went through with it.  I loved it.  I took a total of five dance classes that year, and excelled in all of them.  

                My grandmother was thrilled; I had found a "womanly" thing I liked to do.  My grandparents where happy, my parents where happy, but best of all, I was happy.  I enjoyed living with my grandfather; Papi, more than grandmother.  He would tell me stories of traveling the galaxy and the Stark Hyperspace Wars in which he fought with a couple of Jedi, and his near death experiences, which thrilled me to no end.  After I was a famous dancer, I decided, I was going to join the Republic Intelligence.  

                School was a different matter for me.  I'm smart and clever enough, and I did well mentally in school.  Socially, I was a disaster.  Part of this was that I had always been tutored before and I wasn't used to not having individual attention paid only to me, and more than four people in a class.  Another factor was that my only good friend was Yané, and she was in a different class.  Plus, I had my accent, which all the kids made fun of, you know how kids are.  I _hated_ school.   Yané and I had a very fun time doing practical jokes to people who were mean to us.  Pretty soon, people got smart, and stopped teasing. 

                When I was ten, I first heard my grandparents disagree, and Papi work his negotiation skills.  It was late at night, and I was supposed to be asleep, but I had stayed up to finish reading a book for school that I was supposed to have finished yesterday.  I slipped out of my bedroom and down the hall to the 'fresher.  

When I came back, I heard noises coming from my grandparent's room and snuck to their door, which was an old hinge door that was partially cracked open.  I took shallow breathes and crouched on the floor, my silk nightdress trailing on the carpet and my knees tucked up under my chin.  My long black hair curtained around my face and covered my bare arms.  

                "-sometimes I just wonder if he made the right choice."  Came the stressed voice of my grandmother.

                "Of course he did."  Papi said soothingly.  "He loves her, and now we have these wonderful grandchildren."

                "You only say that because of Rabé."

                "Of course I do.  I love her."

                "I just wonder about Adela sometimes, she's so, rough."

                "Nonsense, she a charming young woman, who happens to like outdoor activities; we are lucky to have her."

                "But if he married Quellé..."

                "Quellé was a sickly little woman with no spark of life within her and you know it."  Papi said sharply.  He tone softened.  "And, I seem to remember your father or mother not liking it very much when you broke off your engagement to that stuffed shirt and married me."

                Grandmother laughed.  "Alright.  I promise.  You'll hear no more doubt from me."

                "Good.  Let's go to bed."  The light switched off in their room and I backed away from their door and went back to my room.  Somehow, I felt I knew my parents a little bit better after that.  

                When I turned twelve, my parents returned from Ma'lacia with my brothers.  I was ecstatic.  I hadn't seen them in an _eternity_.  I would go, on special occasions, like holidays, to visit them in Ma'lacia, and I would talk to them every other week via holonet, but it wasn't the same.  So, when they came I was about to burst with happiness.  We moved to Theed, and I continued with my dance lessons.  My dream was to become a dancer; I wanted it more than anything in the world.  Before we moved to Theed, I had competed in 18 dance competitions and had 15 firsts, two seconds and one third.  I was _good_.

                My new dance classes where held in a large hall with many windows that let light stream in from all sides.  It was a beautiful marble building; complete with everything I could ask for.  My instructor, Madame Joualier, was world-famous, and the equipment was all new and in excellent condition.  A couple rooms over where the theater students, and there were many rooms for private practicing.

                I loved living in Theed.  Amidala had just been elected Princess, and sometimes I wished I was her, she didn't have to go to school, or deal with popularity or unpopularity.  I didn't really make any friends in school, and I missed Yané terribly.  I was absolutely devastated when it occurred to me I would have to leave her behind in Oxon.  I was kind of a loner and people started making fun of me again.  Not in the childish way, but I was excluded from a lot of things, not that I was the social queen or anything.  I never dated and I never went to school dances.  I always thought that people who voluntarily came to school when they didn't have to were all a little slow in the head.  

                I always saw Eirtaé Bukuro in the halls with her gaggle of rich, snobby friends; Firenzé Gajin, Rissé Rukan, Danzé Nakano and a bunch of girls who could be clones.  They scared me slightly because of their obsessive-compulsive impulses concerning Princess Amidala, fashion, and anything that came out of the Palace.  I saw Sabé Hirota in  a couple of my classes with her best friends, Aselpha Duulé, an exchange student from Garos IV, and Kallé Layoré, all of them doing better than everybody and anybody in the class.  

                I competed in more dance competitions against Eirtaé and many other girls in my new school, who _all_ happened to be her friends, and won them all, hands down.  Perhaps they were angry or jealous of me, but after I beat them all, their snubbing increased ten-fold.  I kept to myself a lot, and didn't talk much in class.  I hated school with a passion, and it hurt my parents to see me so sad and depressed all the time.  

                I started dreaming of life after school was over.  Visions of traveling the galaxy and performing at all the famous stages for important people came to me.  Coruscant, Corillia, Bothawui, Caamas, Kuat, Garos IV, Chandrila and especially Alderaan.  I longed to go there; it looked so peaceful, so beautiful.  The shining white of Aldera, the ingenious design of Crevasse City, all of it.  Oh, how I wanted to travel the galaxy and have adventures instead of sitting in Ancient Naboo Literature class learning about themes and symbolism.  

                I was twelve and a half when I first really heard of Jedi.  I had heard of them, of course, through Papi's stories and mother and father's political discussions, but they didn't interest me very much.  You may think this odd, being the child of diplomats, but politics and peace-keeping didn't interest me, and I didn't pay attention to a word my parents said at the dinner table, I was mostly plotting my next revenge on my brothers.  I was quite good at practical jokes.

                I was on the school grounds one day, out walking during my empty class period (since I took dance, that counted as credit for my school), when Eirtaé came up to me and started talking to me (to this day, I'm still not sure why), with her high and mighty attitude, only the whole effect was absolutely destroyed because of her somewhat of a rural accent.  Not that _I_ should be making fun of anyone with an accent or anything along those lines.  

                Anyway, I started laughing and she got angry and started yelling at me about how stupid I was, and I was still laughing, only now I was sitting-on-a-bench-rolling-on-my-side laughing.  If Eirtaé lost her temper and her control of "non-accented" basic, you'd be laughing too.  So, as you can see, we were quite the sight to behold.  Finally, she yelled at me,

                "You're so stupid; I bet you don't know what a Jedi is!"  

                "I know what a Jedi is." I said indignantly.

                "Oh yeah?"  She asked snottily.  "Tell me what the definition is."  She commanded.

                I made a face at her.  "This isn't Inter-Galactic History."  I pointed out rather haughtily.  "And you aren't Mrs. Bendishi." 

                "They are the protectors of peace and justice." She said, still with the smug look on her face. I guess she took my retort as an answer.  "I knew you were stupid.  You're not even pure Naboo."  (Eirtaé had a pure-Naboo obsession too) Well, she got what she asked for.  My stomach fell to my knees.  _Nobody_ insults my family.  Have a go at me, sure, but _don't_ mess with my family.  I stood up, coldly evaluated her, then slapped that smug look off her face.  I then turned on my heel and marched out of the school gardens, leaving her to her tears.  

                As soon as I got out of her sight, I ran to the refresher and almost started to cry myself.  I remembered Natan's words when I was young, and I decided that some revenge was in order instead.  So, I went to my favorite spot in the school garden, far away from Eirtaé, took out my small datapad and made a list of things to do.  It looked something like this:

                                ~Wreak vengeance against she who insulted me

                                ~learn about Jedi

                                ~meet a Jedi before she who insulted me

                                ~take a self-defense class

                With all that in mind, I gave myself an evil little smile and went to my next class.  Within the next week and a half, I wreaked my vengeance on Eirtaé by gluing her locker shut with a solvent used to patch holes in starships, courtesy of Jayen, who hung around the Royal hanger a lot and wanted to be a Republic pilot; spread a rumor around that she liked the school dork, Kal, then told Kal via Rayel that she liked him; and finally, I (with the help of Yané, who was becoming a slicer in my absence) took a horrible holovid of Eirtaé and played it on all the computers and projectors at school.  She was utterly humiliated and embarrassed, but I was as pleased as a person could be.

                Wasn't I horrible?

                So, the first part of my plan was completed, on to part B; the Jedi.  I started out by going to the school library.  There wasn't much there, but I checked it all out anyway.  I finished going through them all within two days.  I didn't learn much, just the basics.  Jedi rely on the Force.  Jedi are taken at a young age to train at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.  Jedi Apprentices are Padawans.  Once a Jedi Knight trains a Padawan, she is a master.  The Jedi are "ruled" by the Jedi Council, ect. . . 

                I found this all very interesting and couldn't wait to learn more.  So my father obtained a pass for me to research the Jedi at the Royal Theed Library in the Palace.  Eirtaé was walking past me and Natan in the halls when Natan stopped by my school to give it to me.  I flaunted in her face when she asked what it was.  She turned beet red and tried to contain herself.  All the more amusing when I told her why I was going to the Royal Theed Library.  She turned even redder, and her eyes bulged.  I smiled prettily at her and flounced away, which is not something I normally do.  Flounce, I mean.

                So, I went with Natan, who was 16 at the time and had passed his Royal Exams with flying colors and was now an aide and apprentice of Hugo Eckener, the Chief Architect.  He and I dressed in some of our nicest clothes and went to the Palace.  It was very quiet and calm in there, our shoes made clicking noises on the marble floors.  Natan showed me the library and left to go to work.  It was very empty in the Library, the air was cooler in there and there was that musty smell that is always associated with libraries.  I asked the librarian and he pointed me to the Jedi section.  To my surprise, and dismay, it was quite small. 

                I went through all the bookchips, regretfully placing aside the Jedi Story and Myth books and focused on learning the facts for the time being.  When I had about ten bookchips that looked half respectable, I took them to a table and sat down to work.  I went through each bookchip and took notes on my datapad.  

                I was so serious in my endeavors that I hardly noticed a group of boys my age that came into the library, presumably to work, but they kept watching me.  They kept interrupting my work to ask for chairs from my table that, as far as I could tell, they did not need.  _That_ got me irritated.  I gave them my most annoyed and angry looks, but they wouldn't stop.  I finally got fed up.  I took my bookchips and some of the Jedi Story and Myth bookchips and went to the outdoor library veranda.  They followed me.  I sat out there, in the sun reading my reference material and taking notes, perfectly content, and lost in my work when that stupid boy asked me for the chair across from me.

                "No." I said flatly. "I'm using it."

                "For what?" He asked, somewhat incredulous.

                "A footstool." I said in the same tone, putting my feet up at that moment.  He blinked and went back to his friends.  A few minutes later I heard their laughter.  I smiled slightly.

                It was about midday when he came back over, and I got my first good look at him.  He had short, curly black hair and green eyes.  He wore an expensive tunic, pants and jacket set, and was pretty tall.  I didn't notice him at first, so he cleared his throat.

                "What? Oh, it's you." I said, looking up from my reading.

"Yeah, it's nice to see you again too." he said, "Mind if I sit here?"

                I looked around, although it was more crowded, there were still plenty of empty tables, but I shrugged and moved my feet from the chair.   "If you want to."  I told him in a not-really-caring sort of way.

                "Thanks."  He sat down opposite of me.  I went back to my reading and note-taking.  I guess he was expecting me to talk to him or something.  Well, whatever he expected; I doubt it was that I would ignore him.  Pretty soon, he started to fidget.  I could see out of the corner of my eye his friends gesturing and making faces.  Anyway, his fidgeting soon got on my nerves, he had, after all, come to me, it wasn't _my_ job to hold a conversation.

                "Would you please stop fidgeting?" I finally snapped at him.

                He looked mildly offended, but sat still immediately, "Yeah, sure." he said.

                "Thank you."  I said, scrolling down my reading.

                "What are you reading?" he asked.

                I looked up, trying to determine whether he actually cared or not.

                "Jedi stuff." I finally said.

                "Really?" he asked, "Stories or facts?"

                "Both."

                "Really?" he said again. "How do you keep it straight?  I always get them confused."

                "It's not that hard.  All stories have basis in fact."

                "That's not true."

                "Yes it is."

                "No it's not."

                "Then prove it." I said, sick of the back and forth.

                "All right."  He said giving me a half grin and getting up.  "Come on.  I'll show you."  When I made no attempt to get up, he grabbed my wrist and half dragged me inside.  I gave him a sour look and he released my hand.  

                "Sorry." he said.

                "It's okay." I said.

                He offered me his hand and said, "I'm Riv Jakeen."

                I took his hand.  "Rabé Napola."

                "Nice to meet you Rabé.  That's a pretty name; I think we have Astro-Physics together."

                "Really?"

                "Yeah.  I sit in the back with Dek and Joss.  You sit in the front, by Sabé and Aselpha."

                "Oh."  I was kind of startled, I usually notice things better, but I despised A-P and didn't pay too much attention to it.  I knew that when I was a dancer, I wouldn't need A-P.  "Joss, isn't he Governor Bibble's son?"  I mused.

                "Yeah."

                "And Dek is Gromyko Trenerem-Ser's son isn't he?"

                "Yeah." he said, slightly rolling his eyes.

                "What were you rolling your eyes for?" I asked, offended.

                He chuckled, "It's just, you say it like it's important or something."

                "It is."

                He laughed, and I got more offended.  

                "If you're going to be mean, then I don't care about your supposed 'book not based in fact'."  I snapped, and started to walk away.  I was so sick and tired of people laughing at me.

                "Wait!"  Riv said, grabbing my upper arm and roughly pulling me to a halt.  I spun around to face him, glaring laser bolts.  "I'm sorry.  Listen," Riv said, smiling, "its midday, do you wanna get some lunch with me 'n Dek 'n Joss?  On me, as an apology."

                I looked at him skeptically, thinking about it.  I was supposed to have lunch with Natan, but I eat with him everyday, and there was something about Riv's face that just screamed earnestness.  I nodded slowly, looking to the ground.  "Yeah, sure, but I have to tell my brother, I was supposed to meet him."

                "Great. C'mon, I'll introduce you to them."

                "Okay."  We walked back inside; I went back to my table and got my things, which wasn't much; just my datapad and some of the Jedi Story and Myth bookchips.  Then I joined Riv at his table.

                "Hey. Okay.  Guys, this is Rabé Napola."  He looked at me, "Rabé, this is Dek Trenerem-Ser," he pointed to a boy with short, spiky blond hair, blue eyes and an expressive face, "and this is Joss Bibble."  He pointed to a boy with brown eyes and curly light brown hair that was slightly long.  They said hi and hello in a jumble of excited voices and I hugged my arms around my waist, slightly uncomfortable.

                "Well," Riv said, clapping his hands together, "let's go to lunch."

                So we walked off the veranda and into the library.  I realized that Riv never showed me the book that was not based on fact, but I let it go.  For now.  We walked into the hallway, and I attempted to start a conversation,

                "So, Riv, what does your family do?"

                "Huh?"

                "Well, everyone knows what my family and Dek's family do.  And any idiot could tell you what Joss's family does-" Joss and Dek snickered at that, "-and I heard of the Jakeen family, but I don't recall your name."

                "Oh, well, it's kind of complicated."  He said.  I gave him my 'what, don't you think I'm smart enough to understand?' look and he gave in.

                "Well," he began, "my father is dead, and my mother is King Veruna's sister."  I stifled my quick intake of air, but my eyes widened slightly.  "It's nothing much." he finished up.

                "Are you an idiot?" I asked scornfully, "Nothing much?  You're only the king's nephew."

                "It's not that important."

                "Not that important?" I said skeptically.  "You are _the_ most infuriating person I have ever met."  I stated, then paused thoughtfully, "Besides Eirtaé, of course."

                Joss and Dek burst out laughing.  I looked at them in bewilderment.  Riv started chuckling.

                "What?" I asked.

                Dek kneeled on the ground before me, swept up my hand and kissed it.  "Ah, my beautiful lady," he began in a theatrical tone as I tried to get my hand back, "I have searched for you near and far, and at long last I have found you and my heart sings the song of love, and I will marry you!"

                "What are you talking about?!" I demanded, still trying to tug my hand away.

                "I have discovered the only woman worthy of my heart!"

                "Let go!" I said, ripping my hand away, massaging it.  I gave him a weird look, "What spice have you been sniffing?"

                Joss came over to me and took me by the elbow and directed me to the outside and down the stairs by one of the large statues of philosophers where I was to meet Natan, while Riv beat up on Dek on the steps, chasing him around.  

                "Dek and Eirtaé hate each other with a passion."  He paused thoughtfully.  "Actually, more like she likes him, but he doesn't like her at all.  He wouldn't go to the Mai Alai Dance with her so she spread a rumor that he trades with the Gungans."

                "That's horrible."

                "Yeah, he was going to get revenge, but somebody beat him to it."

                It took me a minute to realize that he was mostly likely talking about my revenge.  I started to laugh.  Joss looked surprised. 

                "It's not funny."  He said as we stepped into the sun on the steps down to the main street.

                "Oh, but it is!"  I said, still laughing.  "That was me!"

                "Huh?"

                "Are you talking about the person who glued her locker shut with spaceship solvent?"

                "And who spread the rumor that she likes Kal and who spread that unflattering holo, yeah."

                I grinned.

                "You-" he began, and then his eyes went wide.  We both started to laugh.  Riv and Dek came over, looked at each other, and looked back at us.  A slow smile began to cross Riv's face.

                "What are you two doing?"

                "It was her!" Joss exclaimed, "It was all her!"

                Dek and Riv just looked at each other, confused.  I giggled and looked at Dek, triumphant.

                "I wreaked vengeance against she who insulted us!"  I proclaimed to him.  His eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped.

                "You-" he started to say, "You-but-I-" then he started to sputter.  "How?  But-I-how could you-I. . ."  He looked around wildly, as if he couldn't believe it.

                I looked at Riv, grinning, he smiled widely back.  I was _so_ happy at that time.  I had friends in Theed.  I had a blast for the rest of the school year.  I was enormously busy too.  Between schoolwork, dance classes, dance competitions, Jedi research and hanging out with Riv, Dek, and Joss, I had a full schedule.  Two months later, I finally turned thirteen.

~~~


	3. Chapter 3

It was a month and a half after my birthday that we graduated from preliminary school.  We stayed out all night, and our parents nearly had heart attacks, _especially_ my father.  After all, his little girl was out all night with three boys.  Me, Riv, Dek, and Joss went out to many late-night cafés and listened to live bands.  I taught Riv the latest dance moves, and we drank way to much caf.  And when all the clubs and cafés had closed, we went to the public gardens and played on the children's play equipment until dawn, when we went to the outskirts of town in Riv's and Dek's speeder bikes and lay on a blanket and watched the sunrise over the fields of grass.  

                It was one of the best nights of my life.  I will never forget it.

                Our parents found us, courtesy of the Palace Guards under the command of Captain Magneta, King Veruna's bodyguard, on the outskirts of Theed all asleep on the blanket on the grassy hill where we watched the sunrise, at about noon the next day.  My father ran out of our speeder as mother watched with a smile on her face, and I still looked around blankly, wondering what in the name of the sith was going on; swooped me up in his arms to take me home right away.  I looked over his shoulder as he walked to our speeder and waved a sleepy good-bye to Riv, Dek and Joss, who all waved back.  King Veruna was there, with his sister, Danellé, Riv's mother, as was Governor Bibble and Gromyko and Julé Trenerem-Ser.

                Poor Riv, Dek and Joss all got into deep trouble.  That's not saying that I didn't, but my parents were more relieved that angry.  I didn't see the boys for the majority of the rest of the month.  So, I focused on my dance.  I corresponded with Yané regularly and read all the Jedi bookchips in the Royal Theed Library, which didn't take that long.  I got into an extended argument with my parents about taking the Royal Exams, I didn't see the need, but they insisted.  Nearly all our talks ended in shouting matches.  I finally stopped arguing for two reasons, I could fail them on purpose; and it would be the first time I had seen Riv since the day after we graduated (he had been grounded, and my movements restricted).

                So, the day before the exam, I wrote him a long letter that was really just me complaining to him about our current situation.  I stored in on a datachip that I hid in my pocket.  The day of the Exam, it was gray and cloudy, no rain yet, but the distant rumble of thunder was heard, and everyone knew the rain would come.  I got up early and showered and got dressed.  I wore my hair down, like I usually do.  It was down to mid-back, I braided a few strands on my left side.  I was depressed, tired, and the realization of what I was about to do sunk into my skin a little more.  I stared into the mirror, my hair was longer and silkier than I remembered, and my face paler from spending so much time inside.  I was becoming more of a woman and less of a girl.  This both annoyed me and pleased me at the same time.

                Someone knocked on my door.

                "Enter."  I said from the 'fresher.  A maid entered and I came out of the 'fresher.

                "Your father asks you to join him for breakfast, milady."

                "I'll be down in a minute."  I replied.  She curtsied and left the room.  I went over to my closet and got out my shoes.  Some pointy-toed, high-heeled things that where deathly uncomfortable, not to mention unpracticed.  Whoever designed them should be shot.  I thought.  A thought occurred to me and I shoved them back in the closet and took out my comfortable white boots.  No one could see them under my dress anyhow.  

                I smirked to myself and went downstairs to eat.  I think father noticed, but he didn't say anything, just raised one of his eyebrows and went back to eating.  Natan came down a few minutes later and took me to the University of Theed, Queen Epolita Hall, where the Exam was given every three months.  I stepped out of the covered speeder and looked at the tall marble building, turned to close the door.

                Bye Natan.  See you in four hours. I said in Ma'lacian.  I always spoke Ma'lacian to my family.

                Anytime little sis.  You, ah, don't need me to walk with you up there, do you?

                Hey! I said, Don't be insulting. I closed the door and the speeder roared away.  Natan always did like to drive fast.  I walked up the stairs slowly, looking for Riv.  I went inside and walked down the hallway.  I saw many people from school, and a few strangers.  Eirtaé was there, and I knew why Dek didn't sign up for this session.  I saw Sabé and Aselpha together and said hi.  Nobody was allowed in the Exam rooms yet, so they were all crowded around the doors.  I squeezed through the people and saw Riv at the end of the hallway, watching the rain splatter against the window.  I grinned and snuck up behind him.  He didn't hear me.  I quickly put my hands over his eyes, and leaned up on my tip-toes to whisper in his ear as his hands went up over mine,

                "Guess who?"  I saw him grin, then twist around funny.

                "Rabé!" he growled and tickled me.  I laughed and twisted around to get out of reach.  I was then swept up into a hug, "It's been eons!" he groaned.

                "I know." I said.  He released me from the hug.  I looked him up and down.  "You've grown!"  I accused him.

                "I know." he said, repeating me.  "And you haven't at all."  he paused, "At least not in height."

                My jaw dropped.  "Getting quite presumptuous without me around, aren't you?"

                He grinned, "I've missed you." he said.  "It's very lonely in the Palace."

                "How much more time in Jail?"

                "Too long." he said, rolling his eyes.  "Another week; how about you?"

                "Three days.  Joss?"

                "He's already free.  Dek?"

                "Oh, he's in for another week and a half.  Did you know the speeder bike wasn't his?"

                "No!" he said, incredulous.

                "It was his father's new one."

                "Oh, I'd be dead."

                "Me too."

                 A modulated droid voice came over the speakers.  "All students report to assigned rooms.  The Exam will begin in twenty minutes."

                I looked at Riv, "What room are you in?"  I asked.

                "305."

                "Me too."  I said, "Let's go."

                So, we went to the room and sat down and took the blasted three hour test.  I read the question and then just filled in random bubbles, determined to fail.  I was not the first one done, surprisingly, but the third or fourth.  Sabé was the last, meticulously going over each answer at least three times.  Riv gave me a angst-ridden glance and pretended to knock his head against his desktop.  I had to bite my cheeks to keep from laughing.  When the droids finally dismissed us, Riv and I were the last to leave.  We walked slowly outside.  

                "How did you get done so quickly?"  Riv asked.

                "It's a secret."  I said.

                "You didn't cheat!?" he asked sharply.

                "No!"  I cried, offended.  I gave a small half-smile.  "I deliberately failed."

                He stopped walking, shocked, "What! Why?"  He asked.

                I shrugged, "Lots of reasons."

                "Like what?"

                "To spite my parents, because I don't need to take them, to get them to notice what I am capable of doing when they force me to do something I don't want to do."  I ticked the reasons off my fingers.  We walked on.

                "Then why'd you come?  You could have left after Natan dropped you off."

                "To get outside, to be free for four hours," I looked pointedly at him, "to see you."

                He smiled, the door outside opened and we stepped through.  "Good reasons." he said, a pleased little grin on his face.  We looked around.  Nearly everyone was gone.  Eirtaé was waiting for her ride and so were a few others.  Natan wasn't there yet, and neither was Riv's ride.  We sat on the steps.

                "Ugh."  I said, leaning my head on his shoulder.

                "Careful."  He said furtively, "This is what got us in trouble in the first place."

                I laughed, "That's not true."

                "Point, but I don't think I could stand another month of wandering around the Palace trying to have an actual conversation with anybody.  All they talk about is politics."  He sighed, frustrated, "I tried to have a conversation with Amidala.  It just didn't work; she gave me this look when I started talking about the speeder bike Uncle Veruna gave me for my birthday, so I decided to stop.  Boy, is she ever the exciting conversationalist."  The sarcasm that spilled from him could be detected by a blind, deaf, mute village idiot.

                "I'm sorry."  I said.  "Sometimes I think it's my fault."  I paused, lifted my head.  "I doubt if your family, or Dek's or Joss's would have been half as angry if I wasn't there."

                "Don't say that.  It wouldn't have been the same without you.  Whose ideas were they?  Yours.  We probably would have gone to the Palace and watched holovids if you hadn't been there, and that wouldn't have been nearly as much fun."

                I smiled.  The wind blew fiercely, tugging at my hair.  I could smell the rain.  A covered speeder stopped in front of the hall and a short woman with curly brown hair got out of the speeder and beckoned to Riv.

                "There's my mom."  Riv said.  We got up.  I got the datachip from my pocket and gave it to him.  His fingers closed over mine.

                "Read it when you get home."  I said, smiling.

                "Okay."  he said, giving me a hug.

                "Try not to go to insane."  I said, "I'll see you in a week, okay?"

                "Every minute is an eternity."  He said in a slightly mocking, groaning way, coming out of the hug and stumbling down the stairs.

                "Bye."  

                He got into the speeder and waved to me.  I sat on the stairs and rested my chin on my knees as he sped off.  I looked sideways, Eirtaé was watching me.  Ugh, what a creepy feeling.  I cocked my head towards her.

                "Enjoying the show?"  I asked in an innocent, spiteful kind of way.

                She lifted her head high, her blond hair pulled severely back into a single curl that fell down her back.  She strode purposefully over to me and stood in front of me, her hands on her thin hips.  

                "I know it was you."  She hissed at me.  "Don't even try to hide it.  I'll get you back, one of these days, just you wait."  _Ooh,_ I thought, _I'm ever so scared._  She glared at me, I decided to play innocent.  So, I looked dubiously at her.

                "That's quite the little statement."  I said snidely.  "However, I'm confused.  What is it that I have supposedly done?"

                She glared imperiously at me.  "_You_ glued my locker shut.  _You_ told everyone I like that sniveling idiot, Kal.  _You_ took that holovid and put it everywhere.  _You_ put that giant spider in my lunch.  _You_ told everyone my family trades with Gungans.  _You_-"

                "Whoa, whoa, whoa."  I said, putting up my hand to stop her tirade.  "Back up the hoverbus of understanding and let me jump on board."  I paused.  "How many?"

                "What?"

                "How many mean pranks total?"  I said slowly

                She thought for a moment.  "Ten or eleven."

I stared incredulously at her.  "You think I did all those pranks?!"

"If not you. . ."

                "Okay.  First of all, I don't have that kind of time on my hands.  Second of all, your slight insult against my intelligence level and my family isn't worth that kind of effort."  I saw Natan pull up.  "Now, if you'll excuse me, my brother is here to take me home."  I got up, picked up my skirt and walked down the stairs.  I paused, then turned around to look at her.

                "How many people have you insulted?"

                "Huh?"

                "Be mean to, cause angst and destructive behavior."

                She shrugged uncomfortably.  "I dunno."

                "I suggest you remember, your solution may lie there," I smirked at her, "and maybe it'll keep you out of other people's business."

                She gaped at me as I walked away.

                Trouble? Natan asked as I got in the speeder.

                Nothing I can't handle. I replied as we sped home.

                Three days later, I was free and me and Joss went swimming in the country.  Four days later, Riv was free and we went boating on the River Solleu.  Four days after that, poor Dek was finally free and we were all together again.

                A week later, as my family was eating dinner, my father made the announcement that would change all our lives.

                ~~~


	4. Chapter 4

                ~~~

                We're going to be taking a trip to Coruscant. He announced calmly right before Jayen left to go out with his latest girlfriend.  I dropped my fork and stared in utter amazement.  Natan started to choke on his food, and Jayen dropped his china plate on the marble floor, where it shattered into a million pieces.  Rayel and Jonas started screaming and yelling.  Mother smiled serenely.

Are you serious?!?! I finally managed to say.

                He nodded.  Yes princess, we'll be leaving in two and a half weeks.

                I screamed, jumped up and hugged poor father so hard, he was having trouble breathing.  Natan and Jayen came out of their stupor; Natan stood up, picked me up in a hug and swung me around.  Jayen did this crazy little dance for joy that included jumping and running around the house.  As soon as the initial shock wore off (and Natan put me down) I ran upstairs to my room to call Yané.  She was insanely jealous and happy and made me promise to bring her back something.  Then I called Riv's private line in the Palace and told him.  He smiled smugly and said, 

                "It's about time he told you."

                "You knew?!"  I gasped.

                "Yup."

                I shook my fist at his image.  "If you were here right now. . ."

                He laughed.  "I've wanted to tell you for weeks."

                "WEEKS?!"

                "Well, week."

                "You are so evil!"

                He grinned at me.  After him, I called Dek and Joss, both of whom were instantly jealous and excited.  Dek's excitement nearly rivaled mine.  Out of all of us, Dek wanted to explore the galaxy the most.  

                Yané came up to visit the following week and I showed her everything in Theed and introduced her to my friends.  We went on a shopping spree with mother, who wanted me to have a new wardrobe for Coruscant.  Yané and I talked non-stop.  We went to the Holovid Theater and cried at holoflic's that Riv, Dek and Joss had adamantly refused to see with me.  We walked along the River Solleu and fed the ducks.  She told me about school, I told her about the Royal Exams.  We laughed our heads off.  Yané left a week after she got here.  I was terribly sad.  Having her around made me miss what you can do with girlfriends, and not with guys.  

                We left for Coruscant three days later.  My parent's and brother's friends came to say good-bye to them, and Riv, Dek and Joss came to say good-bye to me.  I was grinning like an idiot in my new dark green dress and dark purple and gold overcoat.  I had this cool new black backpack that was small.  It only went over my shoulder-blades, I love that little thing.  Riv looked kind of sad, but tried to be happy for me.  Dek was just itching to go with me, to climb all over the spaceship and play with the controls.  Joss hugged me.

                "I have to go."  He said.  "Have fun, take lots of holopics, call us, don't get into to much trouble and bring me back an Air Taxi."

                I laughed.  "I'll do my best."

                "I know."  Then he was gone.  I turned to Riv and Dek.  Dek's blue eyes were shining brightly with excitement.  He picked me up and twirled me around.  I laughed giddily.

                "You're so lucky!" he cried.  "I think if I stay any longer, I'll sneak on board."  He put me down.

                "Anything you want me to get you?"

                "A Jedi!"  He said.  "But if you can't find one, I'd settle for a Senate Pod or one of those cool Senate Guards."

                I grinned.  "I'll put them in the back with Joss's Air Taxi."

                He hugged me again.  "Don't fall off the landing platform."  He warned, then he too was gone.  I turned to Riv and smiled.  He smiled back, kind of sadly.

                "Here."  He said, giving me a small cloth bag. "Open it when you go into hyperspace."

                "All right."  I said.  We hugged.

                "I'm gonna miss you."  He said into my shoulder.

                "I'll miss you too."  I whispered back.  He released me from the hug.  "Anything you want me to bring you back?"

                "Just don't decide to stay."  He said, then grinned.  "And if you happen to catch a Jedi..." he trailed off.

                I laughed, looked over my shoulder and saw father waiting for me.  "I guess I ought to go."

                "Yeah."  We hugged one more time and I walked to father and climbed on board the ship.  I got in my seat and looked out my window.  I saw Riv beyond the metal gate and waved to him.  I think he saw me, because he waved back.  The ship took off, carrying us to the Luxury Cruiser, _Jewel of the Republic_.  As soon as we went into hyperspace, I went to the main viewing deck and sat on a large chair to open the small cloth bag Riv had given me.  Inside was a letter on a datachip, a small holopic of me and him, candy, and a necklace.  It was a small pendant.  Two small, round black stones, one below the other on a silver backing and a silver chain.  I loved it and immediately put it on.

                The trip took a day and a half.  I took Jonas to the main viewing deck and we watched the ship come out of hyperspace together.  Coruscant shown in the distant like a diamond; silvery against the light of its sun.  A landing shuttle took us and our entire luggage, and we had a lot, to the surface of Coruscant.  Two Air Taxis came and picked us up and took us to our hotel.  I was in stunned amazement.  Everything on Coruscant was so big and polished!  Everything I saw seemed to be made of the same silvery material as everything else.  There were too many alien species to count.  I had to force myself to stop gawking at everything.

                When we got to the hotel, I was amazed; it was more like a house than a hotel.  The door opened up to a short, wide hallway and you came to a fork, to the right was the living room, dining room, kitchen and public refresher.  To the left was the master bedroom suite at the end of the hall, two double rooms on the left side and a single room on the right.  The master bedroom suite had it's own refresher, as did the single room.  The two double rooms shared a refresher between them.  All this on the 370th floor of the Shee-Dong Ma'lay Hotel.  

                Being the only girl, I got the single room, and it was the smallest.  There was a rounded bed on the left wall, a desk in the lower left corner, a door leading to my 'fresher on the lower right and a closet across the room from the bed.  The wall was a large picture window and I could see the traffic lights of Coruscant.  I realized how tired I was, so I lay down on my giant bed and watched the traffic fly by until I fell asleep.  The following day brought a visitor, Senator Palpatine, who represented Naboo and some other worlds in the Senate.  I guess him and father had a business agreement because they were working on something when I came into the study.

                "Oh," I said, "I'm sorry."

                "No, its okay princess," father said, "I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine, Senator Palpatine.  Senator, this is my daughter, Rabé."

                I curtsied to the Senator, "Pleased to meet you Senator."

                He got up and gave me a little bow, "Pleased to make your acquaintance also, my dear."  He turned to father.  "That's a beautiful Naboo name."  He sat back down as father said thank you.

                "Who are you looking for?"  Father asked.

                "Mother, she said we could make an appointment to have a private tour of the Jedi Temple."

                "Ah."

                "I could arrange that for you."  Senator Palpatine offered.

                "Really?"  I said, hoping my voice wouldn't betray my excitement at the offer; it would be much quicker if Senator Palpatine set it up.

                "Yes, it would only take a few days."

                "Oh, could you?  That would be absolutely divine of you." I said, ready to do anything.

                "Of course, I'll set it up when I get back to my apartment."

                "Thank you so much Senator!"

                "Of course child."

                I curtsied again to him and left the room so pleased with myself I could burst.  I went to the living room and told mother the good news.  She was also pleased and asked me what I wanted to do today.  Galactic Museum of History.  So, we went there with my brothers.  I took many holopics of the exhibits and of my brothers doing stupid things.  I bought a fake lightsaber for Dek at the Museum store.  It was blue to match his eyes.  

When we got back from the museum four hours before midnight, father and Senator Palpatine where gone.  We ate dinner and mother put Jonas and Rayel to bed.  Then me, her, Natan and Jayen watched the holonews.  It was very sad.  All the stories where about death or poverty or war or violence or something terrible.  On Naboo, it is much less of a problem.

                Later, after we had all gone to bed, father came home.  I heard him stumble in through the door, partiality drunk.  He went down the hall and into the Master Bedroom Suite.  I could hear him and mother talking in angry voices.  I crept out of bed and went down the hall to hear them better.  I got a very eerie sense of deja-vous. 

                Why do you do this to me? Mother hissed at him.

                "Do what, luve?"  Father replied in a slightly slurring his speech.

                I want you to not do business with Palpatine anymore! Mother exclaimed, You told me you had stopped!  Why do you lie?

                "Ih'm onlee finishing wha I'started."  father said.

                What is he going to do with what you sold him, huh? Mother said something in a low voice that I could not hear.  For forces sake!  What do you think he will do with them?  And we will be part of it!  

                "Nows, don you worree your pree li'l head."  Father said.

                I heard mother sigh and the blankets move around on the bed.  I turned around and crept back to my room.  I was confused and slightly scared.  I shivered and pulled up my covers.  Lights flashed outside.  I didn't sleep very well that night.

                ~~~


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, Jayen, Rayel, Jonas and mother went to the Holographic Zoo for Extinct Animals.  Somehow, watching holos of long-dead animals did not appeal to this particular vegetarian.  So, Natan and I went to the North Pole and went skiing.  That was so much fun; I thought I would die when I went down that last hill.  We got back before Mother did, tired and flushed and still cold.  Father was out, presumably with Senator Palpatine.  When we got back, I found a note on the kitchen counter.  It said:

_To: Miss Rabé Napola,_

_I have arranged a private tour for yourself_

_and two others (if you wish) of the __Jedi__Temple__,_

_two days from now at 10 hundred hours._

_Most Sincerely,_

_Senator Palpatine_

                I grinned like an idiot again.

                Oh, Natan? I said in a sing-songy way.

                Yeah?

                How would you like to go on a private tour of the Jedi Temple?

                His eyes bulged.  Would I ever!

                I smirked at him, Good.  Therefore, you are hereby invited to join mother and I on a private tour of the Jedi Temple.

                He picked me up and swung me around, laughing crazily.  I think I need to grow, so people will stop doing that to me.  The next day passed in a blur.  I think I went somewhere, but I can't remember.  On the day we were to go to the Temple, I got up early and washed and got dressed in a dark green dress with sleeves that flared at the sleeves and a dark blue, purple and gold sleeveless overcoat.  I left my hair down and braided the sides of it back.  At 0930 hours, an Air Taxi came a picked us up and took us to the Jedi Temple.

                I gasped as soon as I saw it.  It was enormous.  It rose out of the other buildings like a single giant mountain, taking up city block upon city block.  It only got bigger as we got closer.  The taxi driver took us down and to the hanger.  We got out and mother paid the driver.  I looked around in awe.  There were two larger ships in the hanger and seven Jedi Starfighters.  There was no hustle and bustle in the hanger, which was odd.

                "Excuse me."  Came a voice from my right.  I turned and saw a Jedi Master.  His image was imprinted in my mind like a searing stamp.  He was in every book I had ever read about Jedi.  He was tall and dark skinned a shaved head and his famous lightsaber hanging from his belt.  Senior Jedi Council Member, Jedi Master Mace Windu was standing less than three meters away from me.

                I was in shock.  Mother stepped in and held out her hand, "Adela Uchida-Napola."  She said as Master Windu shook it.  "My daughter, Rabé," she gestured to me and I shook Master Windu's hand.  I swear I must have looked like such a freak.  My mouth must have been hanging open to the ground.  "and my son, Natan."  Natan shook Master Windu's hand, and, of course, he didn't look like an idiot.  "Senator Palpatine set up a private tour for us."

                "Yes.  I am Jedi Master Mace Windu, and I will be giving you that tour."

                I choked slightly as mother said, "Splendid Master Windu."

                And so we went on a tour with Master Windu, and I hung onto every word he said.  It was much busier inside the Temple.  Master Windu said it was okay for me to take holopics, so man, did I take holopics.  Of the rooms, of the Jedi, of us and Master Windu.  Master Windu said it would be a kind of challenge for the students to see who would be distracted.  He showed us student living quarters, meditation rooms, some of the gardens, Master/Padawan chambers, study halls, and the mechanic rooms, all before lunch.  We ate midday meal in the cafeteria with Master Windu.  Natan and I took turns bombarding him with questions, all of which he answered, relatively detailed.

                We went to the lightsaber training rooms next.  They were huge, vaulted ceilings, a variety of different textured flooring, and different heighten fighting areas.  

                "Umm," I said, embarrassed, "Master Windu?"

                "Yes Rabé?"

                "Is there, perhaps, a refresher nearby?"

                "Yes," he turned, and called to one of the Padawans, who was warming up with his lightsaber, "Zak!"  He called.

                A tall, leanly muscled boy with short light brown hair and blue eyes, who seemed to be a year or two older than me, turned off his blue lightsaber and came over to us.  "What is it now, Master Windu?"

                Master Windu took no notice of his disrespectfulness, and said, "Could you show Rabé to the refresher, please?"

                He turned to me, "Sure, come on runt."

                My jaw dropped and before I could think, "Gee, and people say I have and attitude problem."  Came popping out of my mouth as I walked after him.  

                He laughed.  "Rabé, right?"

                "Yeah."

                "What planet you from?"

                "I from Naboo."  I said, obviously imitating his speech patterns.  "It be many stars from this place."

                He laughed again.  "Well, Rabé who be from Naboo, just remember this: don't ever be respectful to people who don't deserve it, unless you're playing them."

                "Don't you respect Master Windu?"

                "Yeah, but it's a disrespectful respect."

                I smiled fakely, "Right."  I said, drawing out the word and not believing anything he said.

                "One day you'll understand.  Here's the 'fresher.  Don't use the first stall, there's a waterproof fusion reactor in there that'll blow if you flush."  I gave him a weird look and went inside. I came out a couple of minutes later. 

                "Still alive?"  I asked Zak, who was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed.

                "Just barely.  C'mon."

                "So, who are you apprenticed to?"

                "Jedi Master Plo Koon."

                "Really?!"

                "Yup."

                "That's so incredible."

                "Yeah, I was lucky.  Plo's the best."  He paused, "So, what's with the dress?"

                "The dress?"  I asked, he nodded.  "Well, it's what I wear, just like you wear your Jedi Robes."

                He snorted, "That's gotta suck."

                "It does sometimes, others, well; it's nice to be underestimated."  I laughed.  "The way the smug looks dissolve into incredulity."  We went back into the lightsaber training rooms.

                "There's Plo."  Zak said, pointing to a tall Kel Dor.  "Talking to Master Windu, of course."  He rubbed his hands on his face.  "Probably about my "un-Jedi-like" behavior."

                "Both talking to my mother, of course."  I groaned.

                "Mother?"

                "Yeah, I'm here on a tour with my mother and brother, Natan."  

                "Ah."  he said as we walked over to them.  "Master." Zak said, bowing respectfully to Plo Koon.

                "Mother."  I said.  Mother smiled at me.  

                "This is my daughter, Rabé."  Mother said as I shook Master Koon's hand.

                "Pleased to me you, Master Koon."

                The skin over his protective goggles rose.  "Hmm, polite."  He looked at Zak.  "Are you taking notes?"  Zak rolled his eyes.  

                Mother laughed.  "Only around Jedi."  She said.  All the adults laughed.  I looked at Zak and we rolled our eyes at each other.  Grown-ups can be so weird sometimes.  

                Zak and Master Koon took over our tour from there, because Master Windu had a meeting with Master Yoda.  Oh, how I wish I could have met Yoda!  That would have been the high point of my life.  Master Koon showed us the Medic Area, Healing Chambers, an empty Jedi Council Chamber, the gigantic Library and the Room of a Thousand Fountains.  Zak whispered sarcastic comments and things only a student would know to me, making me laugh.  I took so many holopics; I thought I would run out of memory on my holocamera.  Then, at around 19 hundred hours, It was time to leave.  

                "Hey," Zak said to me, "Plo's got nothing but Council meetings for the next week, I could give you a tour of the Senate sometimes."

                "Oh, that would be wonderful!"  I exclaimed; my own private Padawan tour Guide!

                "Great.  Is three days from now, at, umm, 0900 hours okay?"

                "Okay.  I'll see you there."  I promised.

                So, we went back to our hotel, and while mother and Natan told everyone about the day's event's I stored all the holopics on a datachip.  They were all very amusing.  The next day, we went shopping and I bought Yané a dark blue dress in the latest Coruscant fashion.  I paused, staring at the neatly folded piles of pants, thinking about what Zak had told me about my dress.

                Honey? Mother called from down the isle.  

                Mom?  I said slowly. Mom, did you ever, ummm...

                Yes sweetheart?  She asked as she walked over to me.

                I fingered the fabric of the pants.  Did you ever where pants when you were young?

                She looked a little surprised, then started to laugh. Yes, I did.  Do you want some sweetie?

                I hesitated.  I did.  Yeah.

                Mother grinned.  Okay.  Here we go.  I spent the next hour and a half trying on pants, and getting my mother's approval on them.  It was kind of weird at first, but I'm slowly getting used to them, kind of.  We ended up buying four or five pairs and some shirts and overcoats to go with them.  I also managed to get a new pair of knee-high black boots.  I did rather well that day.

                The day after that, the ever-so-kind officials of Naboo decided to transmit my Royal Exam grades to my parents.  Needless to say, I didn't do anything that day.  Father and I got into a terrific argument, though.  I think the people on the 400th floor heard us.  

                Father grounded me, but it wasn't his anger or the punishment that made me feel bad about my decision.  It was the look of disappointment on my parent's faces when they first came to me and asked me what was wrong with my score.  I buried it deep though, when father started yelling.

                ~~~


	6. Chapter 6

Oh, I was so angry at that man.  I was still going to meet Zak, though, regardless of what father said.  I did not come to Coruscant to waste it in my, however nicely appointed, bedroom.  Therefore, I got up early in the morning, took a shower, changed into a pair of dark green pants, a dark purple shirt with sleeves that flared at the elbow, and a dark blue and purple overcoat.  I pulled on my shiny new black boots and my small black backpack.  I was about to leave, when I saw Riv's necklace on my bedside table.  I put it on and slipped out of my room.  I was halfway through the foyer when a shadowy figure stepped in my way.

                "And where do you think _you_ are going young lady?"  My father asked reproachfully.

                "Out."  I stated, my voice far more confidant than I was. 

                "I don't think so."  Father said, coming towards me.  I started backing up.  If I could back up far enough without hitting the wall, I could dodge father into the living room and then run to the door and to the turbolift.  My back hit the wall.  I cursed myself silently.

                "I'll go wherever I damn well please!"  I shouted, in a last ditch attempt to shock him long enough for me to dodge him.

                Father got angry instead.  His face turned red and he unconsciously lifted his hand to hit me.  I cringed and shrunk up against the wall.  

                "Cadwal!"  Came mother's shocked voice from the hallway.  She stood there, in her white nightgown with my brothers crowded around behind her.  I never hesitated.  I pushed off the wall and ran for it.

                Love you!! I cried to mother as I ran to the door.  I'm not sure why I yelled it, but whatever.  I sprinted out the door and down the hall to the turbolift, which took a second to open.  Father was at the doorway.  I ran inside the lift and hit the close door button repeatedly as I hit the first floor button, as I faced the hallway.  Father was half-way down the hallway.  The glass lift door closed and I stared, scared out of my mind, at my raging father who was less than two meters away as I plummeted down to the reception.  My adrenaline was pumping.  I let out an explosive breath and leaned against the wall.  The doors opened and I stepped into the reception floor.  I went to the desk.

                "Excuse me."  I said to the tired looking Bothan behind the desk.  "I'm Rabé Napola.  I believe you have a Taxi for me."

                "It's the bright green one on the left."  he said.

                "Thank-you.  Also, I'd like to take out 500 credits against my room."

                "Of course Miss Napola."  He went to the safe, the lift light turned on.  I tapped my foot restlessly, I wasn't away yet.  The Bothan gave me my money and I shoved it into my backpack.  I thanked him again and headed quickly for the doors.  The clear lift doors opened, and my father stepped out, looking furious.

                "_Rabé Aleen Napola_, get back here!"  he bellowed.  My adrenaline pumped as I ran out the doors, jumped into my Taxi and yelled out the first thing that came to mind.

                "Holographic Zoo!  Go!  Quick!"  Father came out and the Taxi sped away into the Coruscant skyline.  I let out another explosive sigh and checked my chrono, 0800 hours to the minute.  I tapped the driver on the shoulder.  

                "Change in plans.  Take me to the Shivra Café please."  The cab turned and sped in the right direction.  The driver took me there and I paid him and gave him a pretty good tip, for putting up with me.  I went into the café, which was about 2km from the Senate and got a cup of caf and a roll of some kind.  I went out and walked along the street leading up to the Senate, window shopping.  I checked my chrono again.  Quarter of an hour till I was to meet Zak.  I threw away my empty cup, finished my roll and started walking briskly towards the Senate.

                I saw Zak standing in front of one set of stairs leading up to the Senate in his Jedi Robes.  Feet spread apart, hands clasp behind his back, his Padawan braid blew in the wind.  He cut quite the dashing figure.  Beings that passed him gave him nods of respect, and some even bowed to him, he returned the bows and the nods.  Playing the part of the wise and respected Jedi Knight appealed to him.  I was about to wave to him when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw father talking angrily to Senator Palpatine, who was nodding understandingly, followed by five Naboo Guards and Palpatine's aides.  They were walking towards Zak, roughly the same distance away from him as I was.

                Now, I had two options.  One:  Leave, and stand Zak up, but don't get into more trouble; or two:  Run, grab Zak, lose father in the Senate and go out and have fun.  Guess which one I chose?  I decided I was in enough trouble already, and that one more offense wouldn't make much of a difference.

                So, I sprinted the fifteen meters between me and Zak grabbed his left hand with my right, yanking him around, and pulled him up the steps.

                "Hi Zak!  No time for explanations, just run!"  And we ran up the steps together, past the statues and Senators, into the actual Senate Chamber.  We ran down the polished black stone corridor to the turbolift, passing door after door with blue Senate Guards posted at each one.

                "WAIT!!"  Zak and I both cried at the same time to the people about to close the lift doors.  We squeezed in and went to the back, breathing heavily.  

                "Which floor, Miss?"  asked the lift operator

                "What?  Oh, umm, fifty-nine."  I said.

                "Are.  You.  INSANE?!"  Zak demanded.

                "Yes."  I said.  Today I was definitely insane.

                "Can you tell me why we were running you crazy little bi-" then he broke off, looking at all the Senators staring at us.  He gave them a fake little half smile and they turned back to their own business.

                "I wasn't supposed to go out today and I snuck out of the hotel and I saw my father here with our Senator, and I had to think fast."  I told him in a low voice.

"Oh.  Well.  It _all_ makes sense now."  He hissed at me, heavy in the sarcasm.

                "Well, excuse me for wanting to see you."  I shot at him, sulky.  We both realized at the same moment that we were still holding hands.  We quickly broke apart and I shoved my hands into my pockets and he folded his hands in front of him in typical Jedi style.

                He laughed.  "I see you finally got out of that stupid dress."

                "Yeah."  I admitted ruefully.  "Today was defiantly a pants day."

                The lift doors opened at floor 59 and we walked around the Senate Rotunda to the other side where we took that turbolift down to the main floor.  I explained to Zak my entire predicament as we walked out the door to go find a café to sit at.

                ". . .so then father and I got into this tremendous argument and I-"  I stopped speaking and my eyes grew wide.  Father stood five meters away from me, arms crossed, face set stonily in an angry expression as dark clouds gathered in the sky.  "Oh, Sith."  I said in a very small voice.  It hadn't occurred to me that he might _not_ follow us into the Senate Chamber.

                Zak followed my look.  "Your father?"  He asked, even though he already knew the answer.

                "Yes."  I said, slowly, mechanically.  I turned to him.  We both knew I had lost my game of hide and seek.  "Look, I'm-" He went stock still, grabbed my wrist with his left hand and reached for his lightsaber with his right.  

                "What?"  I said in a hushed voice.

                "Listen."  He said softly.  A peculiar buzzing noise filled the air, we looked up and five droids I had never seen before swept down from the sky.  They had no legs, bulky bodies, no necks, rounded heads and four arms, each with a twin high-energy blaster at the end.  They hovered four meters from the ground.  

                "Assassin Droids."  Zak whispered to me.  Then louder.  "ASSASIN DROIDS!  TAKE COVER!!"  He pushed me behind him and got out his lightsaber as the droids opened fire.  Zak's blue lightsaber flashed as he blocked bolts of green laser fire.  I searched for father frantically from behind Zak.  I dimly noticed a Hovercam from the Senate zoom around the scene, recording.  

                "Daddy!"  I screamed as I ducked behind a statue.  Laser bolts spattered everywhere and a Gotal less than three meters away from me collapsed to the ground, dead.  I choked against the bile that rose in my stomach and looked away, swiping tears out of my eyes.  Zak couldn't take them all, as good as he was, there were too many droids, to many beings, and too little help.  Beings all around me seemed to fall to the duracret.  People ran all over the place as the Senate Guards flooded out of the Senate Chamber in a sea of blue.  

                I got up.  I had to find father.

                "Daddy!"  I screamed again as I ran into a mob of people, looking for him frantically.  I scanned the crowd for father, running into and around beings of all sizes.  Then, I saw him, my father, and time slowed down.  He saw me and ran towards me; an Assassin Droid spotted him, swiveled two of its arms towards my father and opened fire.  Two brilliant green laser bolts ripped into my father's chest.  

                He fell to the ground.  A pool of blood started to leak out from underneath him.

                _"NOOOOOOO!!!!!!"_  I screamed as I ran to him, pushing people out of my way.  Zak used the force and crumpled the droid from the inside into a hunk of metal.  It came crashing to the ground two meters away from me.   A droid saw and Zak flipped over a crowd of beings to me, deflecting laser bolts from the oncoming droid.  I kneeled next to father and cradled his head in my lap.

                "No daddy, oh, gods no!"  I whispered, my voice cracking as tears welled up in my eyes.  His eyes half opened, his trembling hand came up to touch my face, and I reached up to hold it there.  Tears fell off my face onto his blue silk shirt.  Father loved blue.

                "I'm sorry daddy."  I whispered to him.  "Oh, gods!  I'm so sorry!"  I cried as tears ran down my face.

                "I'm. . . .sor. . ry."  He said as blood trickled out of his mouth.

                "No!" I said, shaking my head wildly, dark hair flying everywhere, "It's all my fault!"  I sobbed.  "I'm so sorry!"

                "I. . . .lo. . ve. . . . .you."  He said.   "I…could never... ask for a mo...re beau..tiful..daughter."  He said with his last breath, love in his eyes.  His eyes closed and his face and hand and whole body went slack next to mine.  

                "No!  Daddy!"  I shrieked.  "No!  You can't leave me!  _Daddy_!"  I let out a horrible wail as father's body fell from my lap, I turned my face upwards.  It started to rain.  I pulled at my hair, a very dark energy had filled my body and I had no idea what to do with it.  People all around me screamed and the sound of laser fire and lightsaber filled my ears again.  The clank of metal hitting the ground.  The ionized smell of blaster fire.  My hands shook, father's blood stained them.  Father's blood on my hands...

                My head hurt, I felt sick, I burst into tears.  Then, Zak was there, hugging me as I started to sob more and more.  

                Then, a horrendous explosion lit up the sky as the top of a building exploded.  A second later, the sound hit our ears as beings with hyper-sensitive hearing fell down, moaning, screaming and clutching their heads.  The explosion came from a building in the same direction of my hotel.  I clutched Zak's Jedi robe, burying my face in his shoulder, scared to ask the question that I didn't want to know the answer to, but somehow already knew.

                "What building was that?"  I finally whispered hoarsely

                There was a pause as Zak lifted his head to the crying sky, stroking my hair.  "I'm sorry."  He said finally in a soothing tone.  

                I screamed and pushed him away, swinging widely at anything.  This couldn't be happening, not to me, not now, not ever!  I punched Zak in the side of the head, knocking him backward.  I slammed my fists on the cement, scratching my knuckles and hands.  This couldn't be happening!  My entire family was gone in the blinking of an eye.  I let out another horrible wail and sat there, my forehead pressed against the durasteel, my bloody hands pulling at my hair, sobbing in the rain as Zak tried to comfort me next to my father's body, as smoke from the explosion fueled by my family twisted up and disappeared into the Coruscant sky.

                ~~~


	7. Chapter 7

It was a day later when the only other surviving member of my family joined me at the Jedi Temple where Zak had taken me.  Natan was a wreck, but I was far, far worse.  He had been at the Grand Republic Botanical Gardens when the bomb had gone off, and had come home to an empty shell.  We held each other and wept.  The Jedi and the Coruscant Security Force who investigated the bombing and the Assassin Droid attack interviewed me and Natan, asking us many questions.  It was looking more and more like an assassination.  

                Somehow, when they said that, I could only see Senator Palpatine's face with a cruel smile on it.  I didn't voice my suspicions however.  Who would believe the hysterical twelve-year-old, who was blaming her parents' death on the wise and respected Senator of her planet?  The investigators accessed the brain of the droid Zak had crushed, and found that Father and I had been programmed as targets.  I spent most of my days sitting on a chair, staring out the window.  Natan and I wore only black, neither of us said much, did much, or ate much.  All I wanted to do was go home.

                I finally found out the statistics.  Five Senators dead, fourteen aides dead, eighty-nine civilians' dead, and three hundred and sixty-seven wounded.  

                A week later, we finally did go home.  A non-descript ship took Natan, Master Koon, Zak and I all to Naboo within a day.  We came into the atmosphere into a thunderstorm, late at night.  Lightning flashed off the roof of the Palace.  We landed in the Royal Hanger, the landing platform opened and Master Koon came out, followed by Natan, me and finally Zak.  I had on my darkest cloak, but I could still see Riv's face underneath the large hood.  I ran down the rest of the boarding ramp and into his arms, crying again, so relieved to be home and safe.  He held me fiercely as my crying subsided and I just clung to him.  

                "You'll stay in the Palace for now, of course."  King Veruna said to Natan, Natan looked at me, then back at Veruna and nodded.  "Please, accept our deepest condolences over the loss of your family."

                "Thank you."  Natan said mechanically, so many people had said that to us, the response was inborn, "Your highness, this is Jedi Master Plo Koon and his apprentice, Zak Dahamas."  They bowed to Veruna.  "Master Koon, Zak, this is King Veruna of Naboo."

                I closed my eyes and sighed, Riv smelled good as he held me tightly.  They took us back to the Palace and to the rooms they had prepared for us.  I was exhausted.  I sat on my bed, wrapped in a silken blanket, leaning on Riv's shoulder.  We sat there quietly for a bit.

                "I'm sorry."  He finally said.

                "I know.  So is everyone else."  I said, half bitterly.

                "I knew you shouldn't have left!"

                "Father was so angry at me!  It was entirely my fault.  I only I had passed that stupid exam!  Then-"

                "You would be dead too."

                I blinked, trying to hold back tears.  Why is the truth so hard to face?

                "They played the footage of it on Inter-galactic holovision six standard days ago."  Riv said.  "I saw it.  Everyone did.  We tried to call you; me, Dek and Joss tried, but we couldn't reach you."  He blinked furiously.  "I saw you on that stupid footage."  He brought up one of his hands to his face, and rub something away from his eye.  Was he crying?  "Gods damn it, I was worried about you."  He said quietly. 

                I hugged him then, and sighed.  It was nice to know I was missed.  Riv smiled crookedly at me. 

                "You're wearing the necklace I gave you."

                "Of course I am.  I never take it off."  I sighed again.  We sat like that for a time, until I fell asleep.  That's when the nightmares started.  Father accusing me.  _This is all your fault!_  He cried in my dreams.  Mother was there, small and perfect in a white dress, until blood started running from her chest and she collapsed onto the floor.  I ran to her, but Jayen beat me.  _How could you?!_  He yelled, I tried to run away, but my feet were like cement.  Jonas stared at me with dark eyes as tears slipped down his cheeks.  I reached for him but he faded from sight.  Rayel was there, and before I could stop him, he fell away from me.   Suddenly, I felt guilty for living.

                I woke up screaming that night.  Natan was in there first, holding me and comforting me as tears started to slip down my cheeks again.  Master Koon came in next, followed closely by both Zak and Riv.  

                "Nightmares."  Natan said to them.  Master Koon nodded as Zak and Riv came over to the bed.  

                "Is she all right?"  Master Koon asked.

                "Yeah, she'll be okay in a couple minutes."

                "Do you need anything?"

                "A cup of tea for her would be good."

                "I'll get it."  Zak said.

                "No, I'll get it."  Riv said.         

                "But-" Zak started to protest.  

                "I know where the kitchen is Zeek, do you?" Riv asked him.  

                "It's Zak."

                "Whatever."  And Riv left to get the tea.  

                "If we are not needed," Master Koon said, "then we will go back to our room."

                "All right.  Thank you for your concern Master Koon."  Master Koon and Zak left.

                What was it, baby sister? Natan asked me in Ma'lacian.

                Horrible. I said as I stopped crying.  Horrible. A couple minutes later, Riv came back with my tea, and Natan sent him back to bed.  I soon fell back asleep, and there were no more nightmares.  For that night.  It became a nightly occurrence, my nightmares.  I managed not to scream out after the first few nights, and just sat in my bed, scared and shaking.  

                The next few days seemed like a dream, or a nightmare, depending on your definition.  I wandered half-aimlessly around the Palace or sat, staring out a window.  I spent most of my time with Natan.  Riv and Zak didn't seem to get along to well and fought most of the time they were together.  Yané came to Theed with her family and sat with me, listened to me, and cried with me.  Dek and Joss came by a few times, but I was hardly talkative and they seemed uncomfortable.  

                Grandmother and Papi came up from Oxon, but I didn't talk to them much.  Natan turned seventeen, and he, Grandmother and Papi decided that he and I would continue to live in Theed, instead of going to Oxon to live with them.  Master Koon talked to many people who knew mother and father, in a vain attempt to find out why someone would want to kill my family.  I just couldn't get Senator Palpatine out of my head.

                The funeral was three days after we got back to Naboo in the funeral temple on the outskirts of Theed.  Natan and I, cloaked in the deepest black, stood side by side.  Yané stood at my right, Riv behind me with Dek and Joss on either side of him.  On Natan's left stood our grandparents, on the other side of Yané was Zak and Master Koon, hoods up, hands in sleeves, faces expressionless.  

                We burned father's body and lit four candles in honor of mother, Jayen, Rayel, and Jonas.  A holopic of each of them was placed in front of their candle.  I was proud of myself; I didn't burst into tears during the ceremony.  I cried slightly, silently.  I had mixed my grief and my anger.  Great moons of Alderaan, was I angry.  Angry at myself, angry at my family, angry at whomever had killed them, angry at whomever had designed Assassin droids and explosives in the first place, angry at the whole damned universe.

                After the funeral, I spent a lot of time by myself.  Not saying much, eating much or doing much in general besides dancing or walking through the Palace gardens.  I spotted Princess Amidala in there a couple of times, but I avoided human contact like a plague, and always hurried away from her.  

                Grandmother and Papi went back to Oxon the following week, I decided to re-take the Royal Exams, and I studied hard.  It took up time and occupied my mind, taking up space that had previously been used for thinking about how guilty I felt, and reliving father's death over and over.  Out of all the people there, Zak helped me absolve myself of the guilt I felt.  Mostly.  We would sit in the Gardens or the Library and he would listen to me ramble on for hours, then add a bit of Jedi Wisdom at the end of each monologue.  I resolved to myself to have his patience by the time I was fourteen.  I hoped I could be as good as a friend to somebody as he was to me.

                I took the Royal Exams with Dek and we both passed in the 90 percentile.  I felt sick to my stomach when I thought of how proud mother and father would have been.  A few days later, Natan and I moved from the palace to our large, empty estate.  Master Koon and Zak came with us.  Yané and her older sister, Leaté, who was sixteen and a painter, moved to an apartment in Theed.  I somehow convinced Natan to let me take a self-defense class taught by a Lieutenant from the Security Officers by the name of Panaka.  I was quite good, but then, I had initiative, hitting the stuffed dummy helped with my anger.

~~~


	8. Chapter 8

Master Koon was called away by the Jedi Council to go on a dangerous mission to the Hapes System; Zak was to continue to stay with us, until Master Koon got back.  Master Koon left, and it was the three of us and the servants.

                I came upon Zak one day soon after his Master left practicing with his lightsaber and a couple remotes in our garden.  I was tired.  I had just had my dance class, and an hour after that, my self-defense class.  Say whatever else about me, but I was in shape.  I sat down on the ground and watched him.  He wore only a blindfold and a pair of pants.  He gracefully deflected blaster bolts almost effortlessly.

                "I know you're there Rabé."  He said as he deflected a bolt from behind him.

                "I wasn't trying to keep it a secret."  I retorted as his lightsaber danced in the air.  I paused, "Are you angry at your master for going on a mission without you?"

                His lightsaber whirled and hissed, "Kind of.  I mean, I know that the Hapes Cluster is dangerous, but how do they expect us to know how to deal with it later, if they are shielding us now?"  He paused, and the lightsaber sliced through the air, deflecting two bolts at once.  "I guess I'm more frustrated about how the Council deals with these with theses missions in general, than I am with Plo."

                "And, of course, all missions have a potential to be dangerous."  

                "Right."  He shut down his lightsaber, pulled down the blindfold, and paused the remotes with the Force.  He came over and lay down on the ground next to me with a huff.  "Sometimes the most innocent seeming missions are the ones with the most potential for disaster."

                I gave a quick burst of cynical laughter.  "Kind of like my "vacation" to Coruscant."  I had started on the bitter phase.

                "Kind of."  Zak said.  Then leaned up on his elbows and looked me up and down.  "The skirt again?"  He asked incredulously.

                I laughed.  "Yes, the skirt, again."

                "What is with you people?  Spiceheads, each one of you.  Did you know that in the month or so that I have been here, I have not seen one woman in pants?"

                "It's the style, nerf-herder."

                "Of when?  3,000 years ago?"  He asked sardonically.  I grinned at him and we both laughed.  A servant came down the path, bowed.

                "A Riv Jakeen is here to see you, milady."

                "Send him out."

                "Yes milady."  The servant bowed again and left.  A moment or two later, Riv came down the path.  Zak stood up.  Riv came up to us.  His eyes darted from me sitting on the ground to Zak standing shirtless.  His eyes flickered.

                "Was I interrupting something?"  He asked, a slight edge in his voice.  

                "No."  Zak said.  "I was just leaving."  He lifted his things with the Force and walked away.  Riv watched him go, then flopped down on the ground next to me an let out an explosive sigh.

                "Why don't you like him?"  I asked him curiously.

                "Nice to see you too, my day was great.  And you?"

                I rolled my eyes.  "Hi Riv, it's nice to see you.  How have you been?"

                "I dunno why I don't like him."  He mused.  "Why do you like him?"

                "He's nice, he's funny, he's understanding, he's smart, he listens to me, he helps me with my stupid, messed up life, which, by the way, he saved."  I paused, looked at Riv's face, which was clouded over, angry.  "I could go on if you wanted me to."  I added scathingly.

                "No."  Riv said shortly.  "I'm good."  We sat there for a couple seconds, in silence.

                "So,"  I said, trying to ease past the awkwardness.  "you obviously didn't come here to argue."

                "No."  Riv said slowly.  "I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out with me and Dek and Joss right now."

                "Sure.  That sounds like fun."  I said.  Then added, "Just let me tell Natan and change."

                "Change?"

                "Yeah."  I smiled secretively at him, "You'll see."  So we went inside and I changed into some black pants ,a blue sleeveless shirt, my black boots, a tight green and blue vest and my small backpack.  I had on the necklace Riv gave me too.  I came out of the 'fresher and Riv stared.

                "C'mon."  I said.

                "_What_ are you _wearing_?"  He asked, shocked.

                "They're called pants, Riv."  I said slow

ly, as if explaining to a small child.  "I decided to start a new fashion statement.  Something I picked up on Coruscant."  He still stared, dumbfounded.  I arched my eyebrows at him,  "We're gonna have fun, right?"

                "Yeah."

                "A girl can't have that much fun in a skirt.  Remember how mine got stuck, then torn in your speeder bike the night of graduation?"

                "I suppose."

                "Glad you see my point."  And we went downstairs.  Natan!  I called. I'm going out with Riv, don't stay up!

                All right!  He yelled back.  Be safe little sister!

                Of course!

                We left in Riv's speeder and picked up Dek and Joss.  We ended up going swimming in a small lake, on the outskirts of town in the middle of the night.  That was entertaining; swimming was always enjoyable to me, having grown up on a planet full of oceans.  Joss had to be home by 2300 hours, so we dropped him off and Dek had to be back by 2330 hours, so he just had us drop him off at the same time.  Riv and I went back to the Palace and got his speeder bike.

                I could have sworn I saw someone's silhouette against a window, watching us, but when I looked again, no one was there.  We raced around town and out in the country at incredible speeds, it took me a long time to get all the tangles out of my hair afterwards.  In a way, it was very peaceful and relaxing, the wind in my face, my arms wrapped around his chest, my cheek on his back.  Almost a form of meditation.  I got home very late that night.

~~~


	9. Chapter 9

The next three weeks passed in a blur of Self-defense class, dancing, relaxing with my friends, talking to Zak and trying to decide what to do with my life.  I was having doubts about the whole dancing thing.  Lt. Panaka was most complementary about my Martial Arts skills, so I was thinking about something in the Naboo Security Forces, or the Republic Navy.  I guess my dancing helps my gracefulness in other areas.   

                At the end of three weeks, we got a message from the Jedi Temple.  Master Koon had been injured, not seriously, but Zak was needed at the temple, and seeing as no one got anywhere on the assassination investigation, and no other attempt had been made, they were suspending Zak's mission.  He was to report back to the Temple within the next two days.  I was horribly sad.

                The next day Zak left.  He gave me a kiss on the cheek and told me to stay true to myself and the Force.  Then he was gone.  I spent the rest of the day in my room, looking at the holopics I had taken of him and me at the Jedi Temple, they had been in my backpack the day I left to go to the Senate, and us on Naboo.  Yané came by the next day and we went shopping.  She liked my pants, so she borrowed a pair and we wore them into town.  We got some strange looks that day.  

                A month later, I received my speeder license.  Yané and I went joyriding out in the country.  We both got scared silly.  Natan and I went out and bought me a small, two-person convertible speeder, so I wouldn't have to borrow his.  It was small and a shiny light blue and I absolutely loved it.  I drove it everywhere, even though I didn't need to. Yané turned thirteen and I had achieved my goal of attaining the patience level I had been aiming for by that time and I was happy.  Riv, on the other hand was not.  There was an Anti-Veruna faction on Naboo saying he delved to deep into off-world politics and had forgotten Naboo.  The people had been pushing for elections.  Well, they got them.  

                The elections were to be held two and a half months after Yané's birthday.   Governor Bibble was running against Veruna, as was Princess Amidala.  Joss and Riv had a strenuous relationship at that time, and Governor Bibble sent his son to the University of Garos IV.  We all missed him terribly.  Riv turned fourteen three weeks after Yané's birthday and two weeks after Joss left.  Governor Bibble and King Veruna ran an admirable race, but Princess Amidala ran an outstanding race.  Needless to say, Princess Amidala won by a large fraction.

                A week after the election was over; Lt. Panaka approached me after the self-defense class.

                "Rabé," He said, "I'm in charge of making a group of handmaidens for the new Queen, Amidala."  He took a deep breath.  "And because of your considerable skills in Martial Arts and your score on the Royal Exams, I would greatly appreciate if you would come to the Palace tomorrow so we can see if you fit what we are looking for."

                "Of course Lt. Panaka, I'd be honored."  He then gave me the packet of papers I was to complete by tomorrow.  Force, was that a huge packet!  I drove home and told Natan.

                That's great little sis! He said.

                Yeah, but I'm worried about what Riv will think.  I mean, if they want to hire me.  

                Don't be silly.  They'll hire you, and Riv will understand.  Maybe not a first, but he will understand.

                You know what I don't understand? I said.  
                What?

                How is it that they can elect someone who is fourteen, but you can't vote until you're seventeen?  I just don't understand the logic. I smiled at him.  He shook his head.

                No one ever said that politicians were logical Rabé. He said with a laugh.  You better get started on that packet, or else you'll never have it done by tomorrow.

                You know me all to well. I went into the study and began my work on that horrible packet.  Name, date of birth, eye color, hair color, height, weight, martial status (What, did they expect a thirteen-year-old to be married?), family status, strengths, weaknesses, etc...

                It took me four hours to fill out that stupid packet.  It didn't help that Riv called me while I was in the middle of filling out, and I blurted out (un-subtly, as usual) that I was filling out a packet to be a Handmaiden for the Queen and that's why I couldn't go out tonight.  He got all cold and hung up on me.  Great.  Just when I need some support, one of my best friends is angry at me.

                The next day was bright and sunny.  I decided to wear pants instead of a skirt or dress because who knew what Lt. Panaka would have us doing.  So I got washed and put on a pair of white pants, a white shirt with sleeves flared at the elbow and gold stitching above the elbow, a sleeveless white and gold overcoat, and my white boots.  

I braided my hair back into tiny braids and wound them into a complicated bunch of braids that were tucked at the nape of my neck.  Force knows I would have to impress these people.  I took my packet of papers and put it in my white backpack, which was an exact duplicate of my black one except white, obviously, and as an afterthought, I took my exercise bag because I would be going to dance after the interview, or whatever it was.  

                I walked down the stairs and into the main hall.  BYE NATAN!  WISH ME LUCK! I yelled at him, where ever he was. 

                BYE!  He yelled back.  MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!

                THANKS!  Then I walked outside as one of the servants brought my speeder around front.  

                "Thank you Javier."  I said to the balding man.  He bowed and went back inside.  I drove the speed limit that day, so as not to mess up my hair.  Man, that took willpower.  It was so beautiful out and there was nobody on the roads.  I finally got to the palace and parked a couple of blocks away because there is no parking by the palace.  Drop-offs and pick-ups, sure, but no parking.  Stupid Architects.  Sometimes I wish Theed was a little more practical and a little less extravagant.  

                I walked up the stairs, past the statues of philosophers, remembered how I first met Riv, Dek and Joss and walked into the main hallway.  There were about seven girls already in there, only one of which I knew. 

                "Sabé!"  I called out and waved.

                She looked over at me with intense relief and hurried over.  "Thank the Force.  I was nearly about to die of loneliness.  Are you here for the Handmaiden thing?"

                "Yes, or so Lt. Panaka tells me."  I scrutinized her face.  "Though, I'm not surprised to see you here, from what I've seen of Queen-Elect Amidala, you two could be sisters.  It's almost eerie, the similarities."

                She blushed.  "Yeah, well, so do a lot of these other girls."  I looked around.  The other six girls all were about the same height as me and Sabé, with brown or black hair and brown eyes.  Sabé looked me up and down.  "Why are you wearing pants?"  She asked, confused.  

                I shrugged.  "Didn't know what I was getting myself into, so I decided that pants are more practical for anything than a skirt or dress."

                She nodded.  "I guess it makes sense, but still, pants?"

                I shrugged.  "To each her own."

                "I suppose."

                "So, what have you been doing since graduation?"

                "Oh, not much.  I got my speeder license, acted in a couple plays, hung out with Aselpha and Kallé, took a trip to Keren."  She shuddered.  "I didn't like it very much, it was very filthy there, so many more lower-class citizens and corrupt things going on.  I was very happy to come back to Theed."

                I laughed.  "Now don't we sound like snobs."

                She laughed too.  Just then, Lt. Panaka and Captain Magneta came around the corner.  Everyone stopped talking.  Lt. Panaka stepped forward and started to speak.

                "I would like to thank you all for coming today.  As you all must know, I am Lt. Panaka and this is Cp. Magneta of the Security Officers.  Today will be a sort of testing day.  I am sure you all want to know more, but first, if you will come this way please."  And he lead us down the hallway and down a couple of flights of stairs to a large, empty room in the sub-basement that I didn't even know existed.  Us girls stopped at the front door as Lt. Panaka stepped into the middle of the room.  There were ten Security Guards standing against the far wall.  Cp. Magneta walked off to the side.  I got the distinct impression that Magneta wanted as little to do with us as possible.  Panaka started to speak again.

                "Today we will be testing you on many different things such as physical fitness, intelligence, quick thinking, hairdressing, royal protocol and," he rolled his eyes, "clothing combinations."  Some of the girls groaned outwardly.  I groaned inwardly.  Physical fitness, great.  Intelligence and quick thinking, even better.  But hairdressing? Royal Protocol?  Clothing Combinations?   Force knows I would have to be really good at some things to make up for those.  Lt. Panaka motioned for four of the Security Guards and had them set up four tables with two chairs at each.  

                "Lets try to be at the same table Rabé."  Sabé whispered to me.  I nodded.  

                "Now," Lt. Panaka said, "the first thing we will be testing on is intelligence.  You will each be assigned a table," Sabé gave a little sigh, "and given a datapad with a test on it.  Answer the questions as best you can."  Then he began assigning tables.  He separated two girls who would not stop whispering and put another two girls who wouldn't stop making faces at each other at separate tables.  Thankfully, he put Sabé and I at the same table.  

                "Please have your packets on the table.  A guard will be around to pick them up shortly."  Panaka said as he handed out datapads.  I took mine and sat down at the table, opposite of Sabé.  I pulled my packet out of my backpack and set it on the table.  Sabé pulled hers out too.  I turned on the datapad and started on the test.  Someone picked up the packets and Cp. Magneta, Lt. Panaka and the Security Guards left us alone in the room.  To my surprise, the test had many kinds of questions, not just ones about Naboo.  Like: Where are Givins from?  Then it would give you four choices and you would pick the right one.  The answer to the question was one of the moons of Yag'Dhul.  Thank the force I knew that one, it was just a process of elimination.  I knew it wasn't Alderaan, Garqi or Fondor, the other choices.  

                The test proceeded this way for another half hour.  I was busy working on question 35 (What is the procedure of the Senate to pass a new law?) when the door burst in and a crazed group of men came in, shooting guns.  I screamed, and ducked to the floor.  Some of the girls were still screaming in terror as I made myself come to my senses.  _Push the table over for protection_, said a voice in my head that sounded an awful lot like Zak.  I pushed the table over and Sabé fell behind the table next to me.  I picked up my datapad and was about to throw it at them, when Sabé grabbed it from me.

                "Hey!"  I said.

                "There's electronic messaging on the datapad."  She said.  "We can call in for help."

                "Oh."  I said, my back pressed against the table.  I took off my backpack as Sabé wrote the message.  I went through it.  _Nothing I could use._  _Shavit._  She pushed the send button.  

                "Got anything I could throw at them?" I asked.

                "No."

                "If only they would come closer.  I could take at least one out."

                "Wait."  She said as the laser fire slowly came to a stop.  "Play dead!"  She hissed, and we both fell to the ground, motionless.  I knew what Sabé had in mind, but I didn't know if I could keep a straight face for that long.  Sabé was a good actress, she could do it, but me?  I bit my cheeks to keep from smiling, a trick I had learned when I was young.  A man came over and roughly knocked me on my back with his foot.  I didn't smile.  I heard the sound of metal sliding into leather and knew (hoped) that he had put his gun away.

 "Hey!" He yelled to his friends.  "These two are gone!"  Then I did it.  I snap kicked him in between the legs and he keeled over, groaning indescribable pain on his face.  I grabbed him in a headlock with my left arm and grabbed his gun with my right.  I kneed him in the face and he was knocked out.  I slid back behind the table with Sabé and set the gun to stun as shouts of disbelief erupted from the other end of the room.  Or, rather, I _tried_ to set the gun to stun.  It was plastic and metal.  A fake.  

                "What the-"  I said as we both stared at the gun in disbelief.

                "Good work ladies."  Said Lt. Panaka, coming up from our side of the table.  We stared at him.  I was very confused.  Sabé recovered first.

                "Was this a test?"  She asked.

                "Yes.  Of your quick thinking and tactile skills.  You both did very good."  He looked at me.  "I had no idea that you would actually take one of them out Miss Napola."  I blushed a deep red.  "Come now girls, you two and Miss Recané over there where the only ones to pass this part of the test."  Panaka then proceeded to call two guards to come take the unconscious man away.  Sabé, the other girl and I followed Panaka out the door where the other five girls where waiting, some scared, some angry, some confused.  Some of them were saying that it was a trick and demanded to take the test over again.  Panaka refused.  

                We went back upstairs to the third floor and into a comfortable room with tables and soft chairs and draperies on the marble walls.  There were vanity tables at equal intervals on the walls, in between the tapestries.  Sabé and I stood alone, most of the other girls giving us angry looks about us doing well.  Miss Recané, or whatever her name was stood alone also, abandoned by her peers for doing a good job on the first test.  The next test was the hairdressing test.  Sabé and I partnered again, and sat at a vanity, that had any kind of hair thing you could imagine.  Lt. Panaka started talking again.

                "You will each be given a hologram for a specific hairstyle.  You will follow the model as specifically as you can.  When you are done, call me over and I will check your work.  You will be given points for accuracy."  Sabé did my hair first.  The model she had to follow was a tricky one, with many braids piled on top of the wearer's head and some hair falling down to the wearer's back, then bunched up and twisted.  She did an okay job, but she wasn't the best.  I was kind of sad to see my hair go, I had been careful not to mess it up this morning, but one must make sacrifices.  

I did Sabé's hair next.  I had to make it stick out at the sides like a half circle around the wearer's head, then twist the remaining hair into a foreknot and stick a gold tassel-like thing at the end.  It was hard, and I used a lot of mousse.  I got pretty good points on it.  I wasn't the best by far, but it was pretty good.  I think.  

                Then, while we still had our hair done in a Queen-like style, we all attempted to do her make-up on our partner.  I did Sabé's.  I messed up a lot.  I don't think I got very good points on that, but when I finally finished, Sabé looked so much like the Queen-Elect that if Amidala was to walk in the room, you couldn't tell the difference.  Sabé then did my make-up, she was much better at it than I was, it took her half as much time and it was twice as good.  I kinda looked like the Queen, not a lot, at least I don't think, but a little.  

                Panaka was then good enough to permit us to wash our hair and faces.  It was quite a relief, my face was having trouble breathing beneath all that make-up.  We then did the clothing combination test.  Which was basically, you are given a dress.  Then, you find the headdress, jewelry, matching handmaiden outfit and any other things you may need.  I got this long red dress with Illuminated sein jewels at the bottom and shed potolli fur cuffs.  I picked out a headdress with a gold faceframe and the Jewel of Zenda hanging down on the forehead.  For the handmaidens I picked out a light, airy looking, form fitting yellow dress, that would complement the stuffiness and un-form fitting red dress.  I scored very high on that test.  

                Sabé scored very high too.  She had this black dress with gold undertones and black lace covering it to form patterns.  She picked out a hooded, feathered headdress with gemstone and filigree ear coverings and firedresses for the handmaidens to complement the darkness of the Queen's dress.  There were only two girls who scored very low.  One of them got this outfit and the headdress she picked out was so ugly I thought I would die if I had to wear that.  I shudder at the very thought of it.

                ~~~


	10. Chapter 10

We had lunch then, but were told to come back to the palace in an hour, ready to sweat a little.  I went out to my landspeeder, ready to meet Dek for lunch.  He had called me last night and said he needed to talk to me about something.  I was very relieved I had brought my exercise things with me, I wouldn't have had time to go back to my house and get them and meet Dek for lunch.  I got to the small restaurant I was to meet Dek at.  Not surprisingly, he wasn't there yet.  Dek always did have a tendency to be late.  

                I waited for about ten minutes, then decided to order in five, even if he wasn't here by then.  He wasn't, so I ordered a light meal, knowing it would not be good to stuff myself with food right before exercising.  Dek came running up, half hour late, apologizing profoundly, even getting on one knee to beg my forgiveness.  He imitated Sullustians (Forgiv-a-ness please!), Gungans (Foo-give mesa peas!) and many other species (which wasn't very nice, but made me laugh) to get me to forgive him.  He quickly ordered lunch and asked me how the Handmaiden thing was going.  I gave him a non-specific answer, Lt. Panaka told us not to discuss our tests with anyone, and asked him what he wanted to talk about.

                "Well, Riv was kind of angry that you decided to do this Handmaiden thing."  He said.

                "Riv gets angry about a lot of things."

                "Very true.  I dunno.  I felt it was my duty to tell you before you two saw each other and started a fight that wouldn't end."  I tried to interrupt, but Dek ploughed right on through me.  "He feels betrayed that one of his best friends would work for the girl who took over his uncle's job."

                "That's silly."  I said.  "This has nothing to do with me trying to-" I paused, started over, "-this has nothing to do with Riv, period.  Or me preferring somebody over his uncle.  I can't even vote.  What's he so angry about?"

                "I'm not sure, but this is what I think he's thinking."  I looked at my chrono.

                "Well, hurry, cause I've got to be back at the palace in about twenty minutes."

                "Right.  I think he's thinking that you don't care about how he feels now that this fourteen year old girl has taken over his uncle's job.  And it's hurting him that you would go work for her."  He paused as I thought what he said over.  "I think you should go see him tonight so you two can talk this over."  

                I nodded.  "That seems wise.  Thank-you Dek."  I gave a little laugh.  "You know, when he called last night and hung up on me, I thought he was being selfish, but perhaps it's me."

                "No.  Neither of you is selfish, just distraught and confused.  You wanted his support, and he wanted your support."  He paused, thought about it.  "Well, maybe both of you are selfish, in your own special ways."

                "Shut up!"  I said, laughing, trying to take a swing at him.  He leaned backwards, out of range.

                "Whoa there, tiger!" He said, laughing.  "What's got you so beasty?"

                "If I could tell you, I would."  I looked at my chrono again.  "Oh Sith! I've gotta run!" I stood up and reached into my pocket for my money.

                "I've got it."  Dek said.  "You get going, and good luck!"

                "Thanks!"  I said as I rushed away to my speeder.  I hurried through the streets of Theed, hoping to the high Force that my parking spot was still there.  It was.  I grabbed my exercise-bag and ran the couple of blocks to the Palace.  I walked up the stairs, calmly and saw that I was not the last to get there, two others were missing.  I breathed a sigh of relief as I checked my chrono.  One hour to the minute.  I went over to Sabé.  We started talking about the tests and I was glad I wasn't the only nervous one.  We waited for the other two girls, but Lt. Panaka got irritated after ten minutes.

                "All right."  He said.  "Lets go."  He lead us down to the basement where the Palace Gym was located.  Usually there is a weight training area, an open area for aerobics, a place with punching bags for martial arts, and a running area, but today, all of that had been cleared away, and an obstacle course had been set up in the large, airy room.  Panaka took us to the locker room and told us to change.  They provided us with sleeveless shirts and shorts.  I tightly braided my hair down my back.  Then I braided Sabé's for her.  No shoes, boots or socks.  We went out to the Gym.  Some girls moved uncomfortably in the exposing clothes, but I didn't mind, and Panaka took no notice of them.  

                "Now, this the physical fitness test."  He told us, as if we didn't figure it out already.  "You will go through the course one at a time.  You will be scored on how well you do, how fast you do it, and how many things you knock over."  He started to slowly pace, looking at each of us.  "You will each take a number from the hat and that will be the time you go.  No trading.  No switching.  No pretending you have a different number.  The person who is going will go, and the remaining girls will wait in the locker room."  He stopped pacing and looked at us.  "Understood?"  We nodded.  "Good.  Come pick a number."

                I picked number four.  Sabé had two.  A girl by the name of Delanté had one.  She looked very nervous.  The remaining five of us went back to the locker room while she started her test.  Five minutes later, a very tired and sweaty Delanté came into the locker room and called out Sabé's name.  

                "Good luck."  I whispered to her as she walked out the door.  Delanté went into the showers.  Five minutes later, Sabé came back and called out the third person's name.  She was sweaty and worn out.  

                "How was it?"  I asked.

                "Hard."  And she hit the showers.  I started to stretch.  Five minutes after that (why did each trial take five minutes?) the third person came back and called out my name.

                "Good luck!"  Sabé called from the showers as I walked out the door.  Lt. Panaka was waiting for me at the start.  I looked at the equipment.  I knew I could do this.  

                "You start here."  Panaka said to me, pointing to a spot next to him.  "When I blow the whistle, you will start the maze."  

                "All right."  I said, walking over to him and placing my foot on the starting line, ready to run.  My heart pounded nervously.  The whistle blew.  I ran into the maze.  The ground was soft with padding and had uneven lumps in it.  I kept my balance.  I dove through a rounded hole in the wall at the end of the run.  

                I crawled on my stomach under slightly harmful lasers,  I pulled myself over a wall and landed, miraculously, on my feet, I ran through sand and mud, I dodged soft balls being thrown,  I knocked over two things, I kicked down a stuffed dummy, representing a human, my breath came ragged and uneven.  I felt sorry for the out of shape girls.  I jumped over a series of low fences in the maze and finally, I came to a long straightway.  

                I saw Lt. Panaka at the end.  It gave me hope, I found new energy.  I ran down the straightway, then, suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a giant round ball coming from the right.  I dove forward, somersaulting on the ground; the ball flew over my head.  I somersaulted and jumped to my feet, and ran the rest of the way.  Panaka stopped the timer.  Looked at me.

                "Good work Rabé.  The best so far."  I smiled and lifted my arms over my head and walked around in a circle so my muscles wouldn't cramp up.  

                "In two minutes, you can go back into the locker room.  We allow five minutes between each tester to confuse the remaining girls."  I nodded, and focused on breathing, not talking.  "The next girl is Canlanté; call her name when you go in."  I nodded again.  A couple minutes later, when I had stretched again and regained my breath, I went in and called Canlanté's name.  She went out and I hit the showers.  The water felt very good against my sweaty skin.  I got dressed and brushed my hair.  Canlanté was in the showers and the sixth girl was just getting back.  

                "You girls have fifteen minutes to finish."  Panaka said through the door.  I spent most of that fifteen minutes talking to Sabé about the latest test.  She thought she did okay, but she knocked over four things and the giant ball had hit her in the head.  We both kind of laughed at that.  

                The next test was the real intelligence test.  We got our datapads back and continued with the test we had been taking that morning when the crazy guys had burst in on us.  When we finished with that test, we were given another.  It was the last test, thank the Force, but it was the Royal Protocol test.  Great.  I would fail the last test.  Panaka handed it out to us on datapads.  I looked at the first question.  What is the customary dance at the Mai Alai Celebration?  I shuddered.  This was not going to be a good test.

                I got done with that test fifth.  Sabé was already gone, as was Canlanté and Delanté and another girl I didn't know.  I left the last girl with her test.  I handed my datapad to Panaka and he said I was free to leave the building.  He also told me self-defense class was postponed until further notice because he was preoccupied with Handmaiden testing.  I left, walked to my speeder and drove home.  

                ~~~


	11. Chapter 11

I'M HOOMMEEE! I yelled to Natan, wherever he might be.

                I'M IN THE STUDDDYYYYY! He yelled back.  I dropped my exercise bag in the main hall and walked down the hall, through the main living room, and down another hall, to the two floor study.  Natan sat at father's desk, looking at a sheet of numbers.  I collapsed into a chair in front of the desk, and he looked up.

                How was it?  He asked.

                Pretty good.  I think.  I'm not supposed to discuss it.

                You look tired and hot.  Do you want some iced tea?

                Yeah, that sounds nice. Natan sent for it.  A servant quickly came back with a picture of iced tea and two frosted cups.  

                Anybody there you know?

                Yeah, Sabé Hirota.

                Ah.  Riv called while you were gone.

                When? I asked, slightly urgent.

                About an hour ago.  Said something about doing something tonight.  He wants you to call him back.

                Okay.  Thanks Natan.

                No prob.

                What are you working on?

                Some crap that I don't fully understand.  The person who's supposed to help me with it is fifteen minutes late.

                Ah.  I'm going to go upstairs and call Riv.

                Okay.  Oh.  Your dance instructor called and she wants you back tomorrow.  She was angry at first, but I told her that you were at the Palace by orders of Lt. Panaka of the Security Officers and that she could take any complaints to him.

                Ha!  That'd be funny to see.  Lt. Panaka vs. Madame Joualier! I got up and grabbed my iced tea.  Thanks Natan.  When's dinner?

                When I'm hungry.

                Pig!  

                Of course.  He said, and I went upstairs.  I called Riv then, he was still living in the Palace, for the rest of the month, until Queen Amidala coronation.  

                "Hey Riv.  You wanted to talk to me?"  I said, half nervously, but hoping my voice didn't give me away.

                "Um.  Yeah.  But not over holonet.  How about if you met me at the Patona Café?" he asked as he fiddled with his fingers.

                "Sounds good.  Seven?"

                "Yeah."

                "See you then."

                "Bye."

                "Bye."  I hung up.  Gods that was awkward.  Dek must have talked to him too.  Good old Dek.  He can't stand it when we fight.  I changed into a white skirt and went downstairs.  Natan was in conference with some scrawny, stuttering, financing man.  I could hear their muffled voices through the doors.  I went into the kitchen to consult with the cook about dinner.  I wanted a noodle dish, but knowing Natan, he wouldn't be happy if it didn't have meat.  Our cook is a relatively nice and laid-back guy, so he doesn't mind making two different meals for us.  

                Dinner was pretty much a one-sided conversation where Natan complained about a lot of things.  He has had a lot of work to do ever since father died, and has small amounts of time to do them all while studying architecture at the same time.  I feel kind of guilty about not helping, but I would probably cause more problems trying to help.  I left the house ten minutes before I was to meet Riv.  I was kind of nervous, but I told myself to stop it.  There was nothing to be nervous about; it was only Riv, for Forces sake.  When I got there, he was already sitting at a table, waiting for me.  I checked my chrono.  I was _only_ five minutes late.  

                "Hey Riv."  I said as I sat down opposite him.

                "Hey."  He said, looking up at me from his drink.  He was slouched over and looking slightly depressed.

                "What's a matter?"

                "Nothing.  Look, I'm sorry I got angry at you last night.  It was stupid, I-" he stopped, then, "I'm just sorry, okay?"

                I was slightly taken aback by his direct approach to the subject; Riv usually makes small talk for a little while.  "It's okay."   I said.  "I'm sorry if I made you angry.  I didn't know it would, ah, offend you so much."

                "It didn't."  He said quickly.  "I was just being stupid."  He looked down at his cup.  It was silent for a moment.  "So, want something to drink?"

                "Yeah, sure, that would be nice."  So, he called the waiter over and I ordered.  

                "So, how was the Handmaiden thingy?"

                "Pretty good, I think.  I guess.  I'm not supposed to talk about it."  

                "That's strange."

                "Yeah, I suppose.  They probably don't want the other candidates to know what's in store for them."

                "Yeah.  That makes sense."

                An idea came to me that had been stewing in my head for a little while now.  "What are you doing next week?"  I asked Riv.

                "Nothing, why?"

                "Well, my dance teacher is going to Coruscant for some convention, and all my classes have been called off, and Lt. Panaka canceled all the Self-defense classes because of the Handmaiden testing, so I have a week off, and maybe," I said, leaning foreword towards him as he leaned unconsciously towards me, "we could get Dek and Yané and go camping."

                "Camping?  That's a great idea!"  He said enthusiastically.  "That would be so much fun!"

                "I know!  And I know this perfect place, actually, Yané knows it, but still-" we sat there for a long time, discussing the camping trip.  I knew Natan would say yes, and probably King Veruna and Riv's mother too, Yané's sister, Leaté already said yes, and now we only needed to ask Dek.  His parents gave us a reluctant yes.  

                We were gone for five of the most interesting days of my life.  We camped on the edge of a lake about 200km north of Theed, in the Natal Highlands, with no chaperone.  Riv and Dek shared a tent, and Yané and I shared a tent.  We enjoyed waking up early the first morning and scaring the living daylights out of Riv and Dek by playing a recording of the growls of some Tusk-Cats.  Yané and I, together, are probably the most mischievous pair of girls on Naboo.  

We also poured a bunch of water in front of their tent the second night, so in the morning, there was a giant mud puddle in front of their door.  They walked right into it, and got stuck and very muddy.  Yané and I laughed our heads off as they tried to free themselves.  We went swimming a lot, although the water was freezing and I refused to get in all the way.  I guess you could say that I am a water snob.  Growing up on Ma'lacia, I swam a lot, but the water was always warm and crystal clear.  Where we were camping, the water was chilly and kind of mucky.

                I was sitting on one of the large, sun baked rocks on the third day in my two-piece swim outfit, watching Yané and Dek idiotically jump in and out of the freezing water when I felt a cold pair of wet hands on my back.  I shrieked and turned around to see Riv.  He grinned evilly and pushed.  

My eyes widened and I managed to grab his right leg before we both fell, yelling and shrieking, three meters into deep, cold water.  We landed in the lake with a splash and the chilly water rushed around me and I flailed to the surface, gasping for air and wiping away streaks of hair that were glued to my face.  Riv's head broke through the water, his curls plastered to his forehead, and he grinned at me as we treaded the water next to each other.

                "Not so bad, is it?"  He asked playfully, spurting water out of his mouth at my head.

                "Oh, you're gonna get it!"  I growled, ducking the water stream he spit at me, and lunged at him; grabbing his head and half unsuccessfully trying to push him under the water and half successfully getting my body out of the icy-cold water even more.  He gave a shout and tickled my sides, so I let him go, shrieking against the tickling and falling back into the water.   I tried to swim away to the shore, to safety, but Yané and Dek trapped me in the water as Riv grabbed me around the waist from the back, lifted me up and dragged me back into the water. 

"No!  Stop!  Riv, please!!!  Eeee!!!!"  I yelped desperately, between giggles and shrieks as Riv growled and fell backwards in the water, his arms still around my waist, dragging me with him.  I was laughing too hard to protest much.  I tried a few martial arts moves on him, but I was laughing to hard to put any kind of force into it.  Yané and Dek gave a shout, jumped in after us, and we had a _long_ water fight.  We were all very cold and very exhausted that night.   

The next day, Dek tried to cook dinner, but he ended up burning the food so bad it stuck to the bottom of the pan like cement.  I took over cooking duties then.  Needless to say, we were all in better moods by the time we had to go back home.  Riv wasn't so stressed about everything, and Dek was more relaxed too.  Yané and I stopped acting so mature and started our practical joking again.  

                When we got back, we were in such high spirits that I didn't think that anything could top that feeling, but I was wrong.  When I got home, there was a message from Lt. Panaka.  He formally invited me to be a handmaiden for the Queen-Elect.  I ran around the house, screaming, trying to find Natan.  He was nearly as excited as I was.  I called Lt. Panaka back, and said yes immediately.  This was such an honor.  I was more than delighted to be chosen.  When I got off the holonet with him, Natan and I had a toast to my new job, and I got my first taste of Alderaanian wine.  Yuck.  I spit it out immediately while Natan laughed at me.   I then proceeded to beat him up.  

                I was to report to the Palace in three days to meet Amidala with the other two handmaidens, I felt fairly sure one of the others was Sabé, but I wasn't sure who the second one was.  I called my grandparents and grandmother was thrilled that I was working for the Queen.  Papi told me later that Handmaidens are often trained as bodyguards and that got me even more excited.  I called Yané next, and she was happy for me, and so was Dek.  I called Riv last, and he seemed genuinely excited for me.  That surprised me somewhat.  I didn't dwell on it however.  I was too excited.  

                ~~~


	12. Chapter 12

The first day past in a blur of excitement and celebration.  Being chosen as a handmaiden to the Queen was one of the highest honors on Naboo.  The second day, I went shopping with Yané and Riv.  Riv is _not_ a good person to go shopping with.  He has no patience.  He said he would rather be chased by wild Tusk-Cats than go shopping with us again.  He said at least _that_ would be exciting.  

                The day after that, I met Amidala for the first time.  I got to the Palace a tad early, and, as if confirming my suspicions, Sabé was already there, waiting for me and the other, mysterious handmaiden.  We chatted for a bit, until, much to my surprise, Eirtaé walked up the stairs.  

                "Handmaiden number three?"  Sabé asked her.

                "Yes."  She said as I blinked in surprise.  I mean, she has _blond hair_.

                "Well, then, shall we go in?"  Sabé asked.  We went in and Lt. Panaka came down the main stairwell at the end of the Great Hall.  

                "Good.  You're all here.  Let's go ladies, her highness is waiting for us in the Turrent room."  We followed him up a couple staircases and down a couple halls to a small room with many windows that looked out over the Solleu cliffs.  In that room was Queen-Elect Amidala, sun-washed as she stood and looked out the window out over the Solleu.  I stared.  Her and Sabé could be twins.  Her highness wore a plain blue dress with gold embroidery on the cuffs and hem and her hair was braided around her head.  She wore none of the fancy white make-up that we had usually seen her in.

                "Your Highness?"  Lt. Panaka said.  Amidala turned from the widow she looked out of to us.  

                "Yes, Lieutenant?"  She said in an even, modulated voice.  She was fully in control, and she knew it.  

                "These are your handmaidens.  This is Sabé Hirota-" Sabé came forward and curtsied to Amidala, who looked at her evenly and nodded.  "-Rabé Napola-" I came forward and curtsied to her and she nodded to me.  "-and Eirtaé Bukuro."  Eirtaé came forward and curtsied to the Queen-Elect.  Amidala nodded at her too. 

                "Excellent Lieutenant.  When does their training begin?"

                "Tomorrow, your highness."  Panaka said.  She nodded at him. 

                "Thank-you Lt.  Now, I would like a word with my handmaidens."  She looked at him directly.  "Alone."  She said, raising a single plucked eyebrow at him.

                "Of course, your highness.  I'll wait for them outside."  So, Panaka left, and Amidala walked over to us.  I was slightly nervous, what did she want to talk to us about?

                "First off," she said, her voice softer and younger, "I would like to thank you all for taking on this-" she paused, searching for the right word, "-responsibility."  She smiled shyly at us.  "Sometimes it's greater than my responsibility.  You have to take care of me."  We all kind of laughed nervously at that, still uncomfortable in each other's presence.  "I'm know we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the coming months, and I am sure you must start your training, so I'll let Lt. Panaka take you around the Palace now."

                We all curtsied to her and walked out the door.  Lt. Panaka then proceeded to show us the exercise room, which was where the obstacle course was during the testing, the Throne Room, the Handmaiden Suite, which was where we would be staying once Amidala was coronation, Amidala's room, which was directly adjacent to the Handmaiden Suite, the Banquet Hall, the Royal Ballroom, the Royal Vaults, basically, all the major parts of the Palace.  We saw King Veruna and were introduced to him, although I already knew him.  I didn't see Riv at all, and that was probably a good thing.  

                After midday meal, Lt. Panaka had a private conference with each of us.  Sabé went first.  She was in there for about ten minutes.  Then it was my turn.

                "Rabé, you are the second most important handmaiden."  Panaka started as soon as I sat down.  I blinked.  _Okay_.  I thought to myself as Panaka continued.  "In times of great danger, the Queen will disguise herself as a handmaiden, by the name of Padmé Naberrie, and Sabé will take her place.  If Sabé is not available, you will take the Queen's place.  You can tell no one about this plan.  And I mean _no one_.  Not your friends, not your family, not anyone."

                I nodded my acceptance, although I doubted I would ever have to take the Queen's place.  I doubted Sabé would ever have to take the Queen's place.  Panaka gave me a quick smile.

                "Thank the Gods.  Both her highness and Sabé fought with me about that."  Then he continued.  "You will also be the main bodyguard.  I'll instruct you in more martial arts techniques, this time, not only for defense, but for attack.  Also, her highness will join you for these training sessions.  You will be given extensive weapons training and vehicle training.  More so than the other handmaidens.  You will carry a small blaster on you at all times.  If assassins get past the guards and I, you and the other handmaidens will be the Queen's last line of defense."

                I nodded my acceptance of this as well.  Panaka tapped a few buttons on his datapad.

                "You and Sabé and Eirtaé will move into the Palace the day her highness is coronation.  You will be the Queen's hairdresser-"

                "What!?"  I exclaimed.  Lt. Panaka looked at me sternly.  "Sorry.  It came as a shock.  Please, continue."

                "You will be her highness' hairdresser.  I know you will need some practice, so we have a model for you to work on.  You will need to come in everyday so we can practice your Martial Arts and the hairdressing."

                I nodded again, slightly in shock.  Hairdressing?  _Me?_  Go figure.

                "As a handmaiden, you will work six days a week.  You get one day off, but you are on call at all times.  You get two weeks of vacation a year.  It cannot be taken all at one time.  The most you can take off at one time is five days, and you are still on call.  You get unlimited sick days, but only if you are very ill."  He looked at his paper.  "Also, there can only be one handmaiden gone at a time, so, if Sabé or Eirtaé is gone, you need to stay in the Palace."

                "Understood."

                "All right.  I need you to sign this contract, and we'll be set to go on your training."

                "Okay."  I picked up the pen and signed the paper, stating that I understood and agreed to undertake the risks, importance, responsibilities, and etc. that a handmaiden must accept.  

                "That's all for today Miss Napola.  Report to the exercise room at 0800 hours tomorrow to begin your training."

                "Thank you Lt." I said, then I left the room.  Eirtaé walked in the door.  I went home and told Natan about my day.  He thought it was interesting the way the Palace worked, and that he would miss me when I moved into the Palace.  

                People keep abandoning me! He joked.  First mom and dad, then Master Plo, then Zak, and now you!  I'm going to be so lonely!

                I'm sorry! I exclaimed.  I didn't realize that it would be just him and the servants in the house after I left.

                Don't be.  This is a great opportunity for you.  Not everyone gets to be a handmaiden for the Queen of Naboo.

                A sudden thought hit me.  Oh no!  I moaned.

                What?

                I'm gonna have to quit dance, won't I?

                I suppose you will.

                Madame Joualier is gonna kill me!

                I'm fairly positive it won't come to that.  Send her to Panaka if she gets out of hand, although I'm pretty sure you could take her. I laughed and he hugged me.  I'm gonna miss you, baby sister.

                I'm gonna miss you too, big brother. And that's as emotional as we got.

                ~~~


	13. Chapter 13

The next day, I woke up early, and didn't bother to shower.  I braided my hair back tightly and put on some of my older clothes.  I grabbed my exercise-bag and left to go to the Palace.  I was the first one there, and I went directly to the Exercise room in the basement.  I went into the locker room and changed into a tight sleeveless shirt and pair of shorts.  I then went out to the main room and started to stretch, when Sabé and Amidala, posing as Padmé, came in and went into the locker room to change.  

A few minutes later, Eirtaé got here, and Sabé and Padmé came out of the locker room.  Eirtaé came out a couple minutes later, and then Lt. Panaka and another man with blond hair and blue eyes came out of the guy's locker room, in sleeveless shirts and loose shorts, ready to train us.  We stood up as Panaka came towards us.

                "Morning ladies."  He said by way of greeting.  "This is Second Lieutenant Aloian; he will also be training you in Martial Arts."  Panaka started to pace.  "Since Rabé has had more experience with Martial Arts, Lt. Aloian will be training her in the more advanced forms.  I will be training Sabé, Eirtaé, and Padmé in the more basic forms of Marital Arts.  We will warm up together.  Now, let's begin."  

                So my day began.  After we warmed up, Panaka took Sabé, Eirtaé and Padmé to the other side of the mat and began to teach them Martial Arts.  Lt. Aloian and I had a brief spar, with pads, to see where I was at.  After I beat him, he told me I was "inventive".  I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing until he grinned at me from the floor and swung at my legs, making me fall to the floor.  That was my first lesson from Aloian, when an enemy is down, make sure he _stays_ down.  

                We trained all morning on Martial Arts.  We had a half hour brake for lunch, then Sabé went to spend half the afternoon with Amidala to learn her mannerisms and speech patterns so if she had to be the decoy Queen, then she would act like Amidala.  I went to Amidala's large dressing room and practiced my hairdressing on a model for half the afternoon.  Eirtaé was in the same room, perfecting her make-up skills and helping me with my hairdressing.  Then, we all had Gymnastics with Lt. Panaka and Corporal Janassen, a woman with long red hair and brown eyes, for the rest of the afternoon, until 1900 hours (we were told to start using military time).  Then, we got to go home.  On the way out, I stopped to speak with Panaka.

                "Lieutenant?"

                "Yes Rabé?"

                "Now that I am a handmaiden, does this mean I won't have time for anything else?"

                He sighed.  "I'm afraid you're going to have to quit your dance class."

                "Oh."

                "I know how much it means to you, and I'm sorry, but you won't have time for it."

                "Okay.  Thank you Lt."  

                "Your welcome."  He said as I turned to leave.  "By the way Rabé, Lt. Aloian was very impressed with you this morning."

                I blushed.  "Thank you."

                "See you tomorrow.  0800 hours, back here."

                "Yes Lt." I went to see Madame Joualier that night and quit.  To her credit, she tried to get me to stay in any way she could.  She begged, pleaded, screeched, threatened, and even had a fake fainting spell.  I remained adamant however, and she finally gave in and wished me the best of luck and told me I'd be welcome back with open arms anytime.

                That's what my days consisted of.  Martial Arts in the morning, lunch, either hairdressing or vehicle training by myself, then either gymnastics or weapons training with Sabé, Eirtaé, and 'Padmé', then dinner on alternating nights with Royal Protocol and Etiquette lessons after that.  Finally, coming home.  Usually to exhausted to do anything with Riv, Yané or Dek.  They solved that problem, though, by coming by afterwards and hanging out with me at home, watching holovision or a holovid, something to keep our minds off the facts that we were growing up.  

                I fell asleep on Riv's shoulder one night, half-way though one of my favorite holovids.  That was highly unusual for me and was a show of how much this intensive training was taking out of me.  I was continually feeling exhausted, and overworked, but I have always had a high tolerance for pain.  I continued with this routine for two weeks straight until Amidala was crowned Queen.  I'm just lucky it wasn't more.  King Veruna, Danellé, and Riv had moved out of the Palace by then, and had a house closer to mine, unfortunately, I wasn't living there anymore.  

                On the coronation day, I got up early, the last morning in my house.  Most of my stuff was already moved into the palace.  Not that I had a lot.  Some pictures, clothes, jewelry, music, bookchips and datapads.  I got washed up and dressed, and piled the stuff I hadn't moved yet into my speeder.  I ate breakfast with Natan.  By the force, I would miss living with him, but a new part of my life was starting, and he wasn't a main component of it anymore.  I soon had to leave, and I hugged him goodbye and told him I expected to see him at the Coronation party that night.  He told me not to get Sabé and Eirtaé angry at me to fast.  I hopped in my speeder and drove to the palace, waving good bye to Natan as I left.  

                When I got to the Palace, I parked in the Royal Hanger for the time being, since all speeders and speeder bikes where cleared from the streets so people could stand there and watch the coronation ceremonies.  I went into the Palace straight to Amidala's room.  She sat next to a window, in her dressing robe.  I was the first one there.

                "Morning Your highness."

                "Morning Rabé.  Ready for the big day?"

                I smiled.  "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

                She hesitated.  "Yes.  I think I'm ready.  My whole life has been leading up to this."  She paused, then looked at me, determination in her eyes.  "I _am_ ready."

                "I know." I said, positive in her ability.  "I am too, and so are Sabé and Eirtaé."  I paused, reveling in the peace of Amidala's room, the golden sunlight that came in from her windows.  "Shall I start your hair now, or wait till later?"

                "After I get dressed and Eirtaé does my make-up."

                "Right.  Handmaidens have the peach dress today, correct?"

                "Yes."

                Sabé came in just then.  "Sorry I'm late, I couldn't figure out where to park.  Then I remembered Panaka said we could park in the hanger.  How are you Ami?"  Sabé and Amidala had formed a fast friendship as a result of spending many afternoons together.  More so than me and Eirtaé had bonded with anyone, least of all, each other.

                "I'm fine.  Thanks Sabé."

                "Where the Sith is Eirtaé?  She said she would be on time today."  Sabé fumed as she went to Amidala's wardrobe to get her dress, Sabé was in charge of clothes.

                "She's coming.  She wouldn't dare be late today."  I said, trying to calm Sabé down.  I mean, really, don't lose your head on the first day of work, Sabé!  Sabé grunted in reply and rummaged through the dresses.

                "What one did we decide on again?"  She asked in a frantic tone.

                "The white and gold one.  Honestly Sabé, calm down."  I said, getting out the things I would need to do everyone's hair, and also getting out Eirtaé's make-up stuff.  Amidala watched us in amused silence.  Eirtaé entered the room in a whirlwind of excuses. 

                "Sorry I'm late, my mother was blabbering and blubbering and generally being oversensitive and annoying and-gods-" She immediately sat Amidala down in front of the vanity and got started on her make-up, "-thanks for getting this out Rabé, I came as quickly as I could, I swear."

                "It's all right Eirtaé; we're all a little tense."  I said, and we were.  All of us except Amidala, who was calm and in control.  Like the eye of a storm.  "I'll go get our dresses."

                "Good."  Sabé said.  "I was wondering where they were."  I went to the handmaiden suite, which was right next to Amidala's room, it consists of a large main chamber with five individual bedrooms, which is where each of us was now living.  I went to one of the rooms, which we had designated as the wardrobe room for now, and got our silk peach dresses and accessories.  I came out and bumped into Lt. Panaka.

                "Good."  He said.  "I was just about to go look for you."  He pulled a Royal Pistol, except on this pistol, the barrel was shorter then on the one we had been training with.  "Here.  This is yours now, and you will keep it on you at all times." 

                I took the blaster.  "Thank-you Lt." I slid it into my pocket.  The weight there was uncomfortable, but slightly reassuring.  

                "Martial Arts practice tomorrow, 1000 hours."

                I gave a small smile, even after a great celebration, Panaka still made us work hard.  "Yes sir."  He nodded to me and walked off, I adjusted the dresses I was carrying and went into the Queen's room.  

                "Here they are."  I called out.

                "Good."  Sabé said from the walk-in closet.  Her head peered out of it.  "Lay them on the couch for now."  She instructed, pointing to the couch she wanted them lain on.

                "Yes mother."  I said sarcastically.  Amidala and Eirtaé snickered.  Amidala's face paint was nearly done, and Sabé had her dress out and ready for her.  Amidala changed, and so did Eirtaé.  I did Amidala's hair, no headdress today, she would be crowned, and then wear the crown for the rest of the day.  Amidala's hair-style was fairly simple today, and didn't take that long.  I then did Eirtaé's hair while Sabé changed and finished with Amidala's dressing process.  

Sabé's hair was next, while Eirtaé went in search of our shoes, and then I had to do my own hair.  That's the only drawback with being the queen's hairstylist, either someone else does your hair, and not very good, or you do it yourself, and it looks _interesting_.  It was a fairly simple crown of braids, but I was thankful that we would have hoods.  I got dressed, and slipped the blaster into my right sleeve.  The weight made me feel off-balance.

                Then, we were ready.

                ~~~


	14. Chapter 14

We walked down the hallway and down the stairs, as the few servants and guards who were actually in the palace, bowed to Amidala as she passed by.  I could hear the crowd outside yelling and chanting Amidala's name as we drew nearer to the stairs leading to the outside.  I found myself wondering if Yané and Dek and Natan were out there, and what Riv was doing and feeling right now.  

Wondering if Joss had come back from Garos IV for a couple days to witness the coronation.  We stepped down the stairs to the first walkway, and I was nearly blinded by the brightness of the sun, my initial reaction was to cover my eyes, but handmaidens do not draw attention to themselves.  The cheers grew louder.

                Amidala smiled.  Sio Bibble stepped forward then and proceeded with the ceremony.  It started at 1130 hours, and the crowning would take place at exactly 1200 hours.  He recited the coronation speech for the half hour that it took.  I saw Yané and Dek standing near the front together, to my surprise; Joss was with them, cheering on Amidala.  Not a lot of people were listening to the coronation speech besides Amidala, and even then, you could see a slight smile on her face whenever a particularly loud supporter would yell some slogan or just 'LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!' from wherever they were standing.  The time was drawing closer.

                ". . . do not forget yourself, do not forget Naboo, remember the past, and the triumphs of Kings and Queens, now gone.  Remember their great deeds and their mistakes."  Sio Bibble recited, as someone came forward with the crown on a velvet pillow.  Bibble turned and picked it up.  "For now and forever, you are one of them."  The crowd went dead silent.  "I crown you, Queen Amidala of the Naboo!"  He placed the crown on her head, and the crowd went berserk.  Amidala smiled so wide, I thought her make-up would crack, she waved to the crowd and I grinned, they loved her, I would never need my Martial Arts training, or the gun Panaka had given me.  

                A tear slipped down Amidala's porcelain white face, and the people loved it, the cheering grew louder.  They loved her, and she loved them.  She went forward to speak, and the crowd went dead silent again.  A soft breeze rippled the pennants and flags people had brought.

                "Thank-you."  She said, her voice booming out over the multitudes.  "I can never imagine a happier day in my life, nor a more meaningful one.  I can only imagine a long and prosperous road ahead of us, and I am pleased beyond words to be the head of it."  She paused.  "Thank-you," she said, "for trusting me."  She took a step back as the crowd rose up, like a whirlwind, cheering and yelling like crazy.  Amidala waved for about ten more minutes, then went back into the Palace, waving one last time right before she went in.

                That night there was a Ball, and after changing, yet again, we walked to the Royal Banquet Hall, where all the nobles had been assembled, and as Amidala walked in, they lifted their glasses to her in a toast, and clapped politely.  She nodded to them, and took her place at the largest table in the front of the room, right in front of the giant windows looking out over the Solleu cliffs.  Sabé and I stood on either side of her, and Eirtaé stood by the door.  On Amidala's right side was Senator Palpatine, come all the way from Coruscant, and on the other was Governor Bibble.  I kind of felt sorry for her highness, surrounded by boring old men, but that's how it would be for the rest of her term.  

                The food was served, and that's when the party began.  There was live music and good food, old friends talking and laughing, a space on the floor had been cleared for dancing; the smaller children were running around and giggling.  I saw Yané dancing with Joss and Natan dancing with Leaté.  One of the more refined, middle aged nobleman, Lord Recané, came over to the Queen and asked her to dance, and she said yes.  She told me and Sabé to have fun also.  So, the next thing I know, Dek swept me off my feet and onto the dance floor.    

                "Dek!"  I half cried, half laughed. "What are you doing?"

                "Dancing, my dear lady!"  He said happily as we twirled around the dance floor with the other couples.  I saw Yané and Joss and waved to them, laughing the whole time.

                "You know, it's usually customary to ask the lady to dance first."  I pointed out.

                "Neh, I knew you would say yes.  Plus, I promised Riv that I would dance with you before anyone else did.  I had to snag you before that pretty boy, Ijicho, did."  

                I grinned at him.  "So Riv put you up to this?"  We danced past Natan, and I winked at him, and he blushed slightly, and twirled Leaté in a tight circle.

                "You could say that."  He said, a devilish twinkle in his eye.  "Although I had some ideas of my own."

                I laughed again and looked around.  Amidala was still dancing with Lord Recané.  I saw Sabé talking to Aselpha and Kallé; Eirtaé dancing with Joran Ijicho.

                "Yané and Joss seem to be getting along pretty good."  I said as they danced by us.

                "Yeah.  She can be quite the little flirt when she wants to be."  He snickered. "Poor Joss never saw it coming."

                "To much time away from us."  I said with mock pity.

                Before I knew it, I was Amidala's shadow again, as she sat down and talked to Senator Palpatine, strangely enough, about King Veruna, then about some boring political things, I tuned them out, and instead, scanned the crowd, watching my friends and my brother.  The party didn't end until very late that night.  I danced with Joran Ijicho twice and Joss once.  I managed to see Natan before the evening was over, and Yané also.  They were _all_ acting _very_ silly.

                The next week was fairly calm, a mixture of committee meetings, Royal Communications from other worlds, and what else?  Martial Arts and Weapons Practice of course!  I took my first day off, and went to go visit Riv in his new home.  I hadn't seen him since the day before Amidala's coronation, which seemed like a _very_ long time ago.  A servant let me in and went to announce me to Riv, which seemed kind of silly, because, knowing Riv, he was probably playing simulator games or something like that.  I waited for a little while in the main hallway, which had a large staircase leading down from the second floor.  

                "Rabé!"  I heard Riv's voice from above me, and the next thing I know, he's sliding down the wide railing and landing gracefully on the floor.

                "Riv!"  I said in surprise.  "What are you doing?"

                "Having fun.  It's a blast!  You ought to try it!"  I tried to object, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me up the stairs, it occurred to me that I could stop him, but I didn't, I haven't slid down a banister since I was ten.  The opportunity was very appealing, but I felt as if I had to put up some sort of fight for my dignity.

                "Riv no, Riv, c'mon-Riv-"  I objected as he sat me down on the banister.

                "C'mon.  I'll be right behind you."  He sat on the banister behind me and grabbed my hands with his own.  "And.  Here.  We.  Go!"  And he pushed off.  I screamed a little, laughed a lot, and he let out a mighty, "WAHOO!"  As we flew down the newly polished banister on silk pants and skirt.  We landed in a crumpled heap on the floor, laughing hysterically, at the feet of Veruna.  We both looked up from the floor into his amused face.  

                "Hi Uncle Veruna." Riv said as we both slowly got up, fighting laughter.

                "Hello Riv."  He looked at us both.  "Seeing as you two have so much energy, what say you come with your mother and I on a walk around the gardens?"

                Riv looked at me, I nodded.  "Okay."  Riv said.

                "Excellent."  Veruna said, then gave me an odd look.  "How are you enjoying your new job, Rabé?"

                I blushed.  "Quite well, sir.  Thank you."

                He nodded and walked down the hallway to the outside.  Riv and I followed.  Riv's mother, Danellé, was on the veranda, waiting for us.  She was taller than me, but not as tall as Riv or Veruna.  She was pretty, and very elegant with long, curly dark brown hair and green eyes.  She smiled at me and took the arm of her brother as we went down the steps into the gardens.  Riv pompously offered his arm to me and I took it with an equal display of pompousness.  We looked at each other and grinned, laughing again.  

                The stone path was wide, so all four of us walked side by side, with Veruna's honor guard trailing behind us, and Captain Magneta in front of us.

                "How is your brother Rabé?"  Danellé asked me.

                "He is very well, thank you."

                She gave me a comforting smile.  "Do you like living in the Palace?"

                I hesitated for a moment.  "Yes.  It is very lively there.  It seems that there is always something going on, something to do or fix or attend to."

                Veruna smiled.  "Yes, that is what I'll miss the most."  He gestured to the tranquil garden.  "But this is very nice also."

                "It has been my observation that a little of each is the key to an enjoyable life.  Too much calmness, and you get sluggish and set in your ways.  Too much excitement and you get anxious and nervous.  The balance of each is what gives you a long life."  I said contemplatively.

                Veruna smiled again at me.  "You have a very wise friend here, nephew."

                Riv smiled and I blushed.  "Well," he said with a sidelong glance at me, "only once in a while." 

                I smiled and hit him gently on the arm.  "Just because you're not a genius. . ."  I said. 

                "Hey!"  We all laughed, and walked on through the gardens as three guards trailed slowly behind us, and Captain Magneta lead our way.  We walked around the garden in that matter for a little while.  Eventually, Riv and I went back to the veranda and sat outside, while Veruna and Danellé walked through the gardens still.  I had dinner at their house that night, Dek and Yané were there also, we had fun teasing each other.  Veruna and Danellé exchanged knowing glances, as if they had done the exact thing when they were our age.  We had drinks and desert out on the veranda late at night, with music recorded from the Royal Naboo Orchestra piped to the outside.  

                When the evening came to an end, and I had dropped Yané off at her apartment.  I sat on my bed in the Handmaiden suite, staring out at the starry sky, missing the life I had left behind.

                ~~~


	15. Chapter 15

Three days later, Veruna died under mysterious circumstances.  He was found in the garden behind his house with his sister, who was also dead, no kind of revealing mark or blaster bolt or anything upon their bodies, they were just _dead_.  They had no health problems before, and now they were dead.  Poor Riv was beside himself.  Both mother and uncle dead, most likely within minutes of each other.  Panaka found some excuse to allow me to come with him to the house to question the staff and Riv.  I ran up to him as soon as we got there.  His face was tear streaked, but he wasn't crying at the present moment.  Magneta was also there to greet us.  He was shocked and looking worn down, old, and tired.  

                "Come this way, please."  Magneta said to Panaka, who looked at me, I looked quickly at Riv, and then back at Panaka, and Panaka nodded.  I could stay with Riv for the time being.  Panaka and Magneta left, and I turned to Riv and took his hands in mine.

                "How are you?"

                "Terrible."  He said, choking on the word slightly.  "What would you expect me to be?  Ecstatic?"  He turned away from me.

                "Riv-please, you can talk to me."  I said in a begging tone.

                "No.  I can't.  I can't talk to anyone."  He sighed, and his shoulders shuddered slightly.  His hand fell from mine and he quickly walked into his house.  I followed.

                "Riv please, you can talk to me!"  I said in a slightly raised voice as he walked up the staircase.  "I know how you feel."  He froze where he was on the steps, and I went on.  "You feel it's your fault, that if you had been there, or done something, they would be alive, you feel frustrated, angry, sad, lost, depressed, worn out and confused-"

                "I AM _NOT_ CONFUSED!"  He shouted, anger in his voice that frightened me slightly as I shrank back against the railing.  He turned furious eyes on me as his voice echoed in the hall.  "I KNOW _EXACTLY_ WHAT HAPPENED!  SOMEONE KILLED THEM, I KNOW IT!  THEY ABANDONED ME!  THEY DIED!"  He stopped yelling, but the fury in his voice was still there.  "They are dead, I am alive!  They are _together_, I am _alone_!"

                "No."  I said, stepping up to him, taking his hand, and looking up at his face, which was staring dejectedly at the floor and refused to look at me.  "You are _not_ alone.  No more alone than I was, a year ago."  I said pointedly.  He looked up at me, startled, then abruptly turned around and ran to his room.  Again, I followed.  _The key to this_, I told myself, _is to be persistent_.  I went into his bedroom, where he stood, leaning against his forehead against a window facing the gardens.  I went over to him, and saw the Security Guards, Captain Magneta and Lt. Panaka outside, in the gardens, taking holopics and marking things.  

                "_Why_?"  He finally asked, his voice rusty and strained.  "Why me?  Why them?  Why _anything_?"

                "The same reason it happened to my family."  I said, running my hand up and down his back, he slowly looked over to me.  "One that they will never discover."  Riv slowly turned his head back to the window.

                "That's real encouraging."  He said after a second, awful sarcasm in his voice.  "Thanks for giving me _such_ hope."  It was silent for a moment, then he slammed his fist on the window, rattling it and making me jump backwards from him.  "Gods Damn It!"  He burst out.  Then turned away from the window in such a fury, like I had never seen before, and started kicking things and throwing things, and pounding on walls and anything else that happened to be in his way, shouting curses the whole time.

                "Riv-stop-Riv-" I said trying to get him to stop before he hurt himself.  

                "NO!"  He shouted.  I stepped in his way, and tried to pin his hands, even with all my training, they somehow evaded my grasp.  "GET OUT OF MY WAY, DAMN IT!"  And before I knew what had happened, he slapped me across my face.  My head jerked to the right.  The room was unnaturally quiet.  I could hear the guards outside, talking.  My hand slowly went to my lower cheek, where he had hit me.  I was in shock.  That was possibly the last thing I expected him to do.  My hand felt warm, and I pulled it away from my cheek.  A bit of blood was on it.  I straightened my head, and felt around my mouth, a slow trickle came from the corner of my mouth.  I looked at Riv, who had frozen, and looked almost as surprised as I did.  

                The door slid open, and Dek came in behind us.  He paused in the doorway, then came over to us.

                "What are you guys-" He started, then saw my hand.  "What happened?!"  He exclaimed as he took my hand from me looking at it for a second, then up at me. 

                "I-" I started to say.  "He-" Dek's eyes flickered from me to Riv, who was still standing stock still, frozen in shock.  

                "He hit me."  I said in a nearly inaudible whisper, shocked.  Dek looked sharply to Riv.

                "He what!?"  Dek exclaimed.  

                "He hit me."  I said again, slightly louder, still shocked.  

                "Come on."  Dek said, slipping his arm around my shoulders and leading me to the door.  "I'll take you back to the Palace."

                "I'm sorry."  Riv cried as we walked away, his voice growing louder and more frantic as we walked away.  "Rabé, please, I'm sorry!"  Dek lead me out the door and down the hall.  "Rabé!"  I turned to look at Riv, who stood in the doorway of his room, a desperate look on his face, as Dek led me down the stairs, out the door, and to his speeder.  He opened the door on my side and sat me down on the seat, and closed the door.  He then went to his side of the speeder and got in, handed me a handkerchief for my lip, and drove me to the Palace.  We were both silent during the ride.  I was in shock, and he looked really angry.  

                How could Riv do this to me?  I never saw him so angry in his life.  I didn't understand his way of releasing his anguish over losing his family, the only time I had been angry was when Zak told me that they were dead, I had given him a black eye then, and scraped up my knuckles pretty bad, but I never. . .I never did anything like that.

                We got to the Palace, and Dek helped me out of the speeder.  

                "C'mon.  We need to get you some ice and a quiet place to sit."  I nodded stupidly.  I wanted to go back to Riv's house.  I knew he didn't mean it, I knew he was sorry, I knew he needed me right now.  I knew all these things, but the only thing that came out of my mouth was,

                "It doesn't hurt so much anymore."  Dek snorted and walked me to the Handmaiden Suite, we walked in the door, and Sabé looked up from the datapad she was working on.

                "What happened!?"  She exclaimed.

                "He hit me."  I mumbled slightly incoherent as Dek used the comm system to call down to the kitchens to request some ice be brought up, and quickly.

                "What happened?"  She asked Dek.

                "Riv Jakeen hit her, she's in shock."  He replied angrily.  "Look after her; I'm gonna go give him a piece of my mind."

                "No!"  I said standing up and running over to him, as the words registered in my mind.  "He didn't mean it!  He's just upset!  His uncle and mother are dead!  He didn't know what he was doing!"  I said desperately.  The look in Dek's eyes softened ever so slightly.  

                "Well, maybe I won't kill him, but I am going to go talk to him."  Then Dek spun on his heel and stalked out of the Suite.

                "Here Rabé, sit over here, it's more comfortable."  Sabé said.  I numbly moved to the couch that she guided me to.  The door opened and a person came in with ice.  Sabé took it from him and pressed it against my cheek.  

                "Panaka doesn't know I'm here."  I mumbled to her.  "Better call him and let him know."  She looked at me strangely and told me she'd take care of it.  I leaned my head on a pillow, emotionally drained and devoid of all feeling except shock and sadness.  Before I knew it, I was asleep.

                I woke up late in the afternoon.  I was slightly sore from sleeping strangely on the couch, and my lip was barley puffed up, so I stretched and went to Amidala's room, this was usually the time she changed before dinner and evening activities.  Sure enough, Sabé, Eirtaé and Amidala were in there, getting her ready for the night's activities.  

                They all regarded me with a wary eye.  I went over to Amidala's vanity, called up the hologram from the corresponding hairstyle for her dress, and quietly started getting my things out.  In the reflection of the mirror, I saw Amidala, Sabé and Eirtaé exchange glances.  However, much to my relief, they did not say anything, or ask me anything.  I did not feel like talking.  

                The next day, Danellé and Veruna's funeral was held.  I wanted to go as a private citizen, and be there for Riv, but I couldn't.  This was terribly disappointing to me, but I could not go against the Queen's command.  She dressed in a black dress, and I did her hair.  Us handmaidens wore deep red dresses, and dark blue capes with large hoods over that.  His funeral was held in the Funeral Temple on the outskirts of Theed, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  We burned Veruna and Danellé at the same time. 

 Veruna's ashes where to be put in the Royal Temple of the Dead, and Danellé was to be put in the Jakeen Family Tomb, next to her husband.  Riv stood in the front, Dek on one side, Yané on the other.  __

_                Where I should be._  I thought to myself angrily, jealously.  _Stupid Handmaiden job._  Lord and Lady Jakeen, Riv's uncle and aunt, were there, as were some people I didn't know.  When the funeral finally ended, and Amidala was talking to people that had been at the funeral, I saw Riv coming from the side, Dek and Yané watching his back worriedly.  The people bowed and took leave of the Queen, and Riv came up and gave a short bow to the Queen.  She nodded her head in return.

                "Please accept my condolences on the loss of your family."  She said to Riv.  The words echoed in my mind.  They sounded exactly like the words Veruna had told Natan a year ago, after we had returned to Naboo.

                "Thank you, your highness.  With your permission, I would like to have a word with one of your handmaidens."

                She nodded.  "Of course."  She turned her head slightly.  "Rabé?"  I nodded and came out from behind her.  She gave me the ever-so-slightest of nods, which I'm sure Riv missed completely, and walked towards another nobleman.

                "How are you?"  I asked immediately after she left, before Riv could say a word.

                "How are _you_?"  Riv asked pointedly, in response to the question.  "Good Gods, I'm sorry Rabé.  I didn't mean it, honestly.  It-it-it wasn't me.  It was some angry person who had control of my body."

                "I know you didn't mean it, it's okay Riv, really."

                "No.  It's not okay.  I should have never presumed to get so angry or so violent."

                "That is your way of dealing with this whole mess, you had no control, it's not your fault."  I gave him a slight smile.  "That's what me and Dek and Yané are all here for.  To help you get through this."  I paused.  "Whether that means you cry on our shoulders, ignore us, or beat us up."

                He gave me a sad attempt at a smile.  "You know, it's awful hard to talk to someone, when you can't see their eyes."

                "Sorry.  Can't take the hood off."

                "Why?"

                "Sorry."  I said with a sad smile.  "Can't tell you that either."  I looked over to where Amidala was talking to someone.  Sabé placed her hands in front of her, then put them back down at her sides.  That meant that it was time to go.  "I have to go."  I said to Riv, taking his hands in my own.  "Be well Riv, if you ever need to talk to me, call me."  I paused.  "I can't guarantee that I'll be there thought."  

                He nodded reluctantly.  "I will.  Call me when you get a day off, I'm in sore need of some time with you."

                I gave him a half smile, hugged him, and did something I had never done before, kissed him on his cheek.  I then turned and went back over to Amidala, slipping unnoticed in between Sabé and Eirtaé.  We left shortly thereafter, and during the speeder ride back to the palace, Eirtaé and Sabé gave me a horrible teasing about Riv, while Amidala laughed.  Good thing it was dark in the speeder, so they couldn't see the deep red that stained my cheeks.

                ~~~


	16. Chapter 16

The next month was a flurry of political maneuvering.  The powerful Trade Federation, who supplies Naboo with off-world foodstuffs, technology, and other important things, is demanding to raise the tax on the shipping of these things by exorbitant amounts.  We also had the pleasure of introducing two more Handmaidens into our 'circle'.  One of them was named Saché Obaro, the other, to my great surprise and pleasure, was Yané.  

There were five bedrooms in the handmaiden suite to begin with, but Sabé, Eirtaé and I had organized one of them into a wardrobe room, and the other into a study, so Saché shared a room with Eirtaé and Yané moved in with me.  Right after they moved in with us, I finally turned fourteen. 

                Panaka started training them, so it was still mainly Sabé, Eirtaé and I who attended the Queen for the most part.  During this month, I saw as much as I could of Riv, Dek, and Natan, but it was not a lot, and I missed them all dreadfully.  I practiced my Martial Arts every day, so much, in fact, that it became more of a reflex on my part, than any conscious effort.  I sparred with Lt. Aloian, and beat him on a regular basis.  Of course, he beat me a lot too, and once in a while, I would spar with Panaka, who became Captain after Veruna and Danellé's deaths had made Magneta retire to a small house in a village on the outskirts of the Natal Highlands with his wife and two children.

                Panaka was obviously pleased with our progress, because one day he called us down to the exercise room.  I was confused, and by the looks on the other's faces, I knew I wasn't the only one.  Panaka was waiting for us in the exercise room in his uniform.  Next to him stood Lt. Aloian and a hover rack with maroon clothes hanging from it.

                "Today will be a little different."  He said.  

                By the Force, it was.  I soon found myself standing in battle fatigues with the other Handmaidens and Amidala going to a level in the Palace I didn't know existed.  The sub-sub basement.  By the look on Amidala's face, she didn't know it existed either.  The lift doors whooshed open and my mouth dropped open in coordination with Padmé's, Saché's, Yané's, Sabé's and Eirtaé's.  

                The cavern that the lift opened to was enormous.  Four by ten kilometers at least.  The ceiling was about a kilometer high, and we stood on part of an intricate series of catwalks.  I stepped dumbfoundedly out of the lift and walked to the edge of the catwalk and placed my hands on the thin metal railing to brace myself.  The cavern was covered with what seemed to be a recreation of a small Naboo village.  Complete with small Park in the center and all.  I looked at Panaka slowly, incredulity in my eyes as the others came over and gasps of shock echoed in the room.  Panaka's eyes twinkled.

                "Nice to know I can still surprise you, ladies."

                Padmé started to say something, but decided against it when she saw Aloian standing behind Panaka.  The look in her eyes told me that Panaka and her were going to have a long talk about secrets later.  

                "This way please."  Panaka said as he walked down a narrow staircase.  "Aloian, activate the droids."

                "Yessir."  Aloian said with a quick salute as he ran past us and past some other Security and Palace Guards.  Panaka talked as we walked down the catwalks.

                "You will each be given a blaster with a powerful stun capability.  That way, if you accidentally hit another handmaiden..."  He grimaced.  "See to it _that_ scenario doesn't happen."  We nodded and reached ground zero where Aloian and Corporal Janassen waited by a small table at the edge of an "alleyway".  On the table were six slender royal pistols.  Each of the pistols had the short barrel on and a bulky silver lump was attached to the top of each.  Janassen smiled at me and I felt comforted by the older woman's presence.  

                Panaka, Aloian and Janassen each grabbed two guns and handed them out.  I examined my gun.  It felt comfortable and familiar in my hand.  Sabé caught my eye and struck a dramatic pose.  I giggled at Sabé as Eirtaé held hers stiffly and gingerly, holding the gun as far away from her as she could.  Padmé was talking quietly to her, gesturing with one empty hand and one hand full of a gun.  Saché held hers with confidence and Yané with something less than confidence, but more than Eirtaé's stiffness.

                Panaka cleared his throat and we turned to look at him.  "The objective of this exercise is to survive.  You will start on the outskirts of the village and try to make your way to a fountain in the middle of the park. as quickly as you can.  Training droids, armed with stun blasters, will be patrolling the streets.  As soon as a droid hits you, you will be stunned and officially "dead" for this exercise.  Questions?"  We shook our heads.  "Good.  Wait until I give you the signal to start."  We nodded again and Panaka, Aloian and Janassen walked up the catwalks to what I presumed to be the control room.  

                I turned and studied my fellow handmaidens.  I was very excited and couldn't wait to do this, and I had to make sure I wasn't the only one.  I wasn't.  Sabé and Saché wore twin expressions of determination and excitement.  Yané looked a little scared, but more than a little excited.  She turned and smiled determinedly at me when I caught her eye.  Padmé was a mix between determination, excitement and concern.  Eirtaé's face was miserable, less than confidant and partially nauseated.

                Panaka's voice came over the PA system as we lined up at the white line in the beginning of the ally.  Yané was at my right and Sabé was at my left.  

                "Ready ladies?"  We took our running positions.  

                "Three."  I crouched, gun in hand.  

                "Two."  My legs tensed up.  

                "One."  I though my body would explode.  

                "GO!"  My body sprang forward with all the kinetic energy of a tightly repressed coil.  Saché and I quickly took the lead.  We ran 50 meters to the first intersection.  A droid waited on each side.  Blue beams splayed everywhere.  I dove down and somersaulted foreword, somehow avoiding the stun beams.  Saché stayed at my side.  Eirtaé got hit in the arm, but, to my surprise, fired back twice before succumbing to the droid's stun beams.

                Saché and I twirled around and went back to back, opening fire on either side.  Sabé threw herself off a wall and got the droid coming up behind us.  Padmé and Yané also went back to back and soon we had three stunned droids.  We ran on, leaving Eirtaé with an angry look on her face.

                We cautiously approached the next intersection, but nothing waited for us and we ran on.  We took a right, still nothing.  I felt uneasy.   We took a left into an ally and a droid burst through a window.  Saché and I hurled our bodies against the walls of the ally as Sabé somersaulted foreword to a kneeling position, firing.  Padmé and Yané fired at droid behind us as Saché and I came up behind the droid and opened fire.  I saw Padmé fall with a grunt and Yané finish off their droid as ours became immobile.  

                We hurried on. 

                We had a couple more skirmishes and lost Yané to an undetected side attack when we had almost reached the park.  We had to leave her in front of the 'general store' and continue on.  Saché, Sabé and I crouched behind a low outdoor staircase and looked for droids before crossing the 100 meter open expanse to the park.  I swept sweat covered hair out of my face and saw no movement, but Saché did.

                "There." She murmured to Sabé and I.  

                "And there."  Sabé whispered too, pointing to the opposite side.  

                "Okay."  I said, thinking quickly.  "We travel close together.  I take right, Saché, left and Sabé, front.  Okay?"

                They nodded.

                "Good.  Let's go."  We scrambled out from behind the stairs and ran out into the open plaza, blue stun bolts flashed from both sides.  I fired furiously back, sweat running down my back and face, wishing I had taken Yané's gun.  One droid out as two others came into my view.  I fired at them.

                Fifty meters.

                Blue bolts came from the front and I afforded a quick glance and wished I hadn't.  Three droids from the trees.  Fired at my two droids.  Both went down.  

                Ten meters.

                Sabé fell.

                "Sabé!"  I yelled.  "Sithspawn!"  I cursed, turning my attention to the remaining droid in the trees as I grabbed Saché's hand and sprinted into the park.  We paused for a moment behind a large bush to catch our breath.  I nodded to Saché, who gave me a weary salute in return.

                "Ready to go?"  She asked.

                "Yeah."

                We got up and crept quietly through the trees, stopping every once and a while to listen.  Five minutes past and we found neither fountain nor droids.  Saché led the way and soon she held up a hand to stop, then motioned downward and we both fell into crouches.  I moved quietly foreword, next to her and we peered over the bushes together.  I saw the fountain.

                And the ten droids guarding it.

                I gulped.  "Oh, shavit."  I groaned quietly.

                "Ditto." Saché said.  

                "Wanna rush them?"  I asked in a playful tone.

                "Why not?"  Saché deadpanned.  "This mission has gone to hell anyway."

                We giggled kind of nervously and decided to take out a couple from our hiding spot.  

                "One."  I whispered.

                "Two."  She said back.

                "Three!"  We shouted together and opened fire on the droids.  Blue stun beams lit up the sky, racing back and forth.  Two down, three.  Four.  I motioned to Saché that I was going to the other side.  I crept away to find a better angle.  A droid came at me from the side.  I dodged backward and found shelter behind a tree.  I heard the droid firing and walking closer.  I looked around frantically.  I was not going to loose this close to the end.  I looked up.  The tree!

                I grabbed the lowest branch and hauled myself up.  Climbing faster and faster.  The droid stopped firing, confused as to my location and I shot it cleanly.  I fired at the other droids from the tree and got their numbers down to three.  I climbed down the tree, ready to clean up the remaining droids and feeling extremely.  

                My legs went numb and I fell to the ground.  I twisted around and shot the droid that snuck up on me.  I clawed myself into a sitting position and stared at my useless legs bitterly.  I didn't hear Saché firing anymore.  I heard footsteps, and remembering Sabé, played dead.  Something approached me and I sat up quickly and shot it.  

                Captain Panaka fell away from me, unconscious, with an utterly shocked look on his face.  I dropped my gun and clasp both my hands in front of my mouth.  I stunned Captain Panaka!  Oh, good force.  Something escaped my mouth.  A giggle.  I laughed.  I laughed so hard, I never heard the droid sneak up behind me and finish the job.

                When I came to, Aloian, Janassen, Yané and Saché were still laughing.  Along with half the control room.  I ached all over and started stretching when a Palace Guard revived Panaka, who eyed me warily.

                "Sorry sir."  I said, apologetically, flashing him a quick smile.

                "Rabé."  Panaka said in a resigned tone.  "You give me more gray hairs than _all_ the other Handmaidens, _all_ the Royal Naboo Security Forces, my wife _and_ children combined."  Peals of laugher came from Yané, Saché, Aloian and Janassen.  He got up slowly and the laughing stopped.  

                "Okay ladies, here is how you scored.  Eirtaé, you were first down, you took two hits, fired twice, hitting the droid both times.  100% accuracy.  You have a 475 out of a possible 1000."  Eirtaé nodded grimly.  "Padmé, second down, took one hit, fired 25 times, missing 7 times.  72% accuracy.  You have a 564."  Padmé nodded, her mouth set in a thin line.  "Yané, third down, took one hit, fired 63 times, missed 19 times, 73% accuracy, you have a 698 ."  Yané nodded and shot me a quick smile.  "Sabé, fourth down, took one hit, fired 78 times, missed 15 times, you have a 80% accuracy and a 732."  Sabé nodded and looked pleased with herself.  "Saché.  Fifth down, took one shot.  You fired 93 times, missing only 12.  87% accuracy.  Very good.  You have an 811."  Saché grinned and looked at the ground shyly.  "Rabé.  Sixth down, took two shots, fired 103 times, missed 15 times, 85% accuracy, you have a 825."  I smiled widely, pleased with my performance.  

                "Saché and Rabé did very good.  Sabé and Yané did about what I had expected."  He paused, looked at Padmé and Eirtaé.  "I would speak to you two when we are done here."  The both nodded, looking to the floor.  "Questions?"

                I raised my hand.  "Excuse me Captain?"  He looked at me.  "Can we come down here and train whenever we like?"

                "Maybe later.  For now, let's stick to group activities."  He said.  I nodded.  "Any more questions?"  Panaka asked, looking around.  Nobody said anything.  "Sabé, Rabé, Saché and Yané, you are dismissed."

                I stood up and my leg and back muscles protested vehemently.  I tottered slowly and stiffly to the lift behind Saché who had her hands bracing her back.  Sabé and Yané slung their arms over each other's shoulders and both looked exhausted.  We stumbled back to the suite, cleaned up and talked about our failure of the day.

                It took us six attempts, but finally we all made it through the village scenario with out anyone "dying".  Saché and I made it though the third time, and Sabé joined us the fourth time around.  Padmé and Yané came up on the fifth time, and Eirtaé came around last.  

                ~~~


	17. Chapter 17

The Trade Federation was becoming quite the nuisance, and practically everyday, Amidala spent hours talking and conferring with Senator Palpatine over the holonet, then would spend more time conferring with her advisors, Governor Bibble, and Captain Panaka.  Until one day, it happened.

                It was the middle of the day, and Yané and I where out in the Royal Gardens, taking a short lunch break, when I looked up, and I saw warships.  Dozens and dozens of warships.  

                The Trade Federation blockade of Naboo had started.

                Amidala was furious.  She immediately put on some of her most regal robes, and called Senator Palpatine, who was surprised at this news indeed.  When she got off the holonet with him, she got up and marched away to her room, us five handmaidens quietly following behind.  

                "The nerve of them!"  She hissed as we got into her room.  "What kind of idiots are they?  Blockading a planet for the sake of a tax?"

                We handmaidens exchanged a glance.  Although I was the second youngest, I had a good talent for calming Amidala down when she got excited or upset.  It was handy in times like this.  I went over to her, sat her down on the vanity chair and began taking out her hair.

                "Ami, you know they are cowards.  Senator Palpatine will talk to the Senate on our behalf, the Republic will intervene, and the Neimoidians will back down.  It won't take long."  I said.

                She sighed.  "I know.  It's just-ugh!  The nerve of them!"  She jumped up and began to pace the room.  "Well, I won't give them the satisfaction of knowing they've upset me.  I will ignore them."  And with that, she sat back down on the vanity, and let me finish taking out her hair.

                Well, it wasn't that simple.  The Neimoidians seemed to have gained a backbone in recent months, and refused to back down.  Our food supply was running lower.  Amidala sent as much food from the Royal Kitchens to the people of Theed as she could.  She finally got fed up with this and, once again in some of her most regal robes, sent a holonet call in to Supreme Chancellor Valorum, and informed him, in a rather chilly voice, that everyday he delays resolving the blockade is a day he takes more food out of the mouths of starving children.  I saw the shock on his face when she said that.  He promised to send ambassadors at once.  Amidala even had part of her wardrobe packed onto her ship, in a threat to go to Coruscant to resolve this herself.

                On the day that the ambassadors where to arrive,  I did Amidala's hair in one of the more complicated hairstyles I had ever done, while Eirtaé did her make-up, Saché did Amidala's nails again, and Sabé and Yané got out the clothes.  We marched to the throne room, where we would wait for word from the ambassadors.  We waited for a long time.  Amidala grew impatient. 

                "Contact the Neimoidians, Captain."  She finally said.  "Eirtaé, Rabé, stand behind me."  So I stood behind her throne, next to Eirtaé.  The communication went through, and the Viceroy of the Trade Federation, Nute Gunray shimmered into view.

                "Again you come before us, your highness."  He said in his leachy, slimy, strangely accented voice.  _Again?_  I thought.  _This is the first time Amidala has officially looked your way, you overgrown bug._

                "You will not be so pleased when you hear what I have to say, Viceroy."  Amidala said in her most chillingly regal of voices.  "Your trade boycott of our planet has ended."

                "Really?  I was not aware, of such a failure."  He said, oozing politeness, but I saw the threat beneath it.  _If you even try to lay one slimy hand on her, I swear to the Gods…_

                "I have word that the Chancellor's ambassadors are with you now and that you have been commanded to reach settlement."  Amidala said, ignoring his previous comment.

                "I know nothing of such ambassadors, you must be mistaken."  I kept the shock off my face.  _What??  No ambassadors?_

                "Beware Viceroy; the Trade Federation has gone too far this time."  Amidala said in a voice that could rival Hoth's coldness.

                "We would never do anything without the approval of the Senate.  You assume too much."  He said, slimy and slippery as always._  I think you're the one assuming too much.  _I thought maliciously to him, sending my most powerful of evil brain waves his way.  Wished I had the force.  _I would choke him with it right here and now..._

                "We will see."  Amidala said, regal to the last.  Then she cut the transmission, and the oily Neimoidian shimmered from sight.  "Captain, contact Senator Palpatine.  I will get to the bottom of this.  Rabé, Eirtaé you may sit down."  I moved back to my chair, disgusted with politics, maneuvering and Neimoidians.  Soon, Senator Palpatine shimmered into view.  

                "Your highness, is there a settlement already?"  He asked, surprised.

                "No Senator, the negotiations have not started.  The ambassadors have not yet arrived."

                "Negotiations haven't started because the ambassadors haven't arrived!?"  _Good work Senator_, I thought, _you can repeat people!_  "How could that be true?  I have assurances from the Supreme Chancellor, his ambassadors did arrive-" Senator Palpatine shimmered into and out of view, and I couldn't make out any of his words.  What was going on?

                "Senator Palpatine!"  Amidala exclaimed.  "What's happened?"  She asked, turning to Panaka.

                "Check the transmission generator."  He said, nodding to one of the Security Officers.

                Governor Bibble looked worried.  "A communications disruption could mean only one thing.  Invasion."  _Invasion!_  I thought.  _The Federation wouldn't dare!_

                Evidently Amidala thought the same thing.  "The Federation would not dare go that far."  She declared.

                "The Senate would revoke their trade franchise and they'd be finished."  Panaka interceded on Amidala's behalf.  

                "We must continue to rely on negotiation."  Amidala said, although I heard the worry in her voice, and I exchanged a glance with Sabé, who heard it also.

                "Negotiation!"  Bibble sputtered.  "We've lost all communication!  And where are the Chancellor's ambassadors?"  _Where indeed?  Did the Neimoidians kill them?_

                Panaka looked directly at Amidala, ignoring the rest of the council, which, save Bibble, had been silent this whole time.  "This is a dangerous situation, your highness.  Our Security volunteers will be no match for the battle-hardened federation army."  I quickly looked at Sabé.  I couldn't believe it; Sabé would have to take Amidala's place!  I never would have imagined this.

                "I will not condone a course of action that will lead us to war."  Amidala declared.  "Captain Panaka, do we have inter-worldly communications?"

                Panaka quickly looked at the Security officer who had been checking communications, who nodded.  "Yes, your highness, but only for a short time."

                "Good.  Get me the Governors, I wish to speak with them immediately."

                "Yes your highness."  Within a few minutes, Panaka had the images of the six governors on the holonet.

                "The Trade Federation had knocked out all off-world communication."  Amidala stated, tossing preamble to the tusk-cats.  "I will continue to rely on negotiation, however if it is an invasion, tell the people to go along with them.  Do not resist."  She paused and let it sink in.  "I do not feel that this will happen, but there is a possibility."  My stomach started sinking.  _I have a bad feeling about this._  I though worriedly to myself.

                The Governors all nodded and murmured there acceptance of the order.  Then they shimmered from sight, as inter-worldly communications was also cut off.

                "Captain."

                "Yes your highness?"

                "Send out scouting parties, if there is an invasion, I wish to know about it before they come knocking on my door."  And with that, she stood up, and swept from the room.  Us handmaidens followed behind her silently.

                "Yané, Saché, Eirtaé," Amidala said, "say good-bye to your families, I fear you may not be seeing them for a while.  Sabé, you may go too, but hurry back as quickly as possible.  Rabé, I need you to help me with this."  Yané, Saché, Eirtaé and Sabé hurried off, Sabé running down the corridor, and the rest just walking quickly.

                "What are we to do, your highness?"  I asked in a subdued voice as we entered Amidala's room.  

                "First, get me out of this headpiece."  I began to take out her hair.  "What outfit would hide Sabé the best?"  She mused to me.  I thought for a moment, running the inventory of her closet through my head.  

                "The black one?"  I finally said.  "With the feather headdress?"

                "Yes, that will do perfectly; and for the handmaidens?"

                I thought for a second, and removed the gold face-frame headdress and put it a table.  "The fire dresses."  I said.  "It will hide your face well, and they are loose and easy to move around in, in case of an emergency."

                "Good.  I need to wash up, you get out Sabé's dress, and have it ready for her, she should be back soon, her family lives close to the palace."  Sure enough, Sabé got here right after Amidala finished washing up.

                "What shall I do your highness?"  Sabé asked.

                Amidala smiled sadly.  "It is Padmé, now."  Sabé gasped as I got out the hooded headpiece.  

                "Do you mean it?"  Sabé asked apprehensively.

                "Yes.  I am sorry Sabé, I know it is a great danger for you-"

                "Anything, Padmé.  I know what I am here to do."

                "Thank you.  Rabé, is the dress ready?"

                "Yes, your high-Padmé."  I said.  "Here your highness."  I held out the black dress to Sabé, "Let me help you with it." 

                Sabé quickly took off her hood/scarf and dress and slipped into the black dress I held out for her.

                "Here."  Padmé said, "I'll do it, Rabé, you go get the handmaiden dresses from the other room."

                I handed Padmé the dress and left quickly.  Eirtaé was just getting back.  "Here."  I said.  "Help me with the handmaiden outfits."

                "Okay."  We went into the wardrobe room and I went for the firedresses, I handed four of them to Eirtaé.  

                "Take these to Amidala's room and do Sabé's make-up.  I'm going to change and bring the shoes and other things."

                "Right."  Eirtaé left.  I quickly changed into my firedress, and went to my room, hiding anything that meant a lot to me and/or Yané in the small safe that was built into a wall in our room, holopics, jewelry, books, one of my blasters, the other slipped into my sleeve.  I saw Riv's necklace on my bedside table and put it on.  _Give me good fortune._  I thought, holding it tightly for a second.  

                I got the shoes from the wardrobe room and took them to Amidala's room.  Yané and Saché were in there as well as Eirtaé, Sabé, and Padmé.  I dumped the shoes on the couch and went to do Sabé's hair.  It would only be braided back, because the headpiece covered her whole head, but it was something for me to do.  Eirtaé, who was half-dressed,  was doing Sabé's make-up, and Saché, who was also half-dressed, quickly did Sabé's nails while Yané got dressed, and Padmé, who also half-dressed, frantically rubbed white fingernail polish off her fingers.

                Someone knocked on the door.  "Your highness?"  Came Captain Panaka's voice.  

                "Rabé!"  Padmé hissed.  "You're presentable, get the door!"  I finished braiding Sabé's hair and went to the door.

                "Yes Captain?"  I said, opening the door only slightly.

                "There is an invasion army heading towards Theed."

                "How far away Captain?"  Sabé asked in Amidala's voice.

                "Three hours maximum, one at the minimum."

                The room went deathly silent as all of us stopped what we were doing to look at him.

                "How many troops?"  Sabé asked.  

                "As far as our reports can tell, your highness, there are between 30-35 MTTs, each with 112 troops; over 300 ATTs, unknown amounts of STAPs and other troops walking."  There came a gasp from Saché and Padmé.  Sabé and I covered our feelings better, and I don't know if Yané and Eirtaé comprehended what that meant, or how many droids that was.

                "Spread the word, Captain," Sabé said in Amidala's voice. "No one is to resist."

                "Yes, your highness."  Then he left.  I sprinted back to Sabé and pulled out the headpiece.

                "Double time girls!"  Padmé cried.  I cautiously put the headpiece on Sabé's head, careful not to smear her make-up.  

                "Here, Saché," I said.  "I'll do that, you finish dressing."

                She nodded and got up.  I finished applying the nail polish and the rest of the handmaidens got dressed. 

                "Rabé."  Padmé said.  "Hurry and say goodbye." I nodded, put the nail polish down, and ran out the door, down the hall and out to my speeder.  I rushed away to my home, to see Natan.  

                ~~~


	18. Chapter 18

~~~

Javier came out.  "Miss Napola!  What a pleasant surprise!"  He said.

                "Not so pleasant when you hear what I have to say."  I shook my head, I've been spending too much time with Amidala, I was beginning to pick up her speech patterns.  "Leave the speeder out, Javier, I can't stay long, and assemble all the staff.  There is something you need to know."  And with that, I ran inside.  NATAN! I screamed at the top of my lungs.

                Rabé? Came Natan's quiet voice from the left, where he stood in the doorway, a datapad in his hand and looking at me confused.  I ran over to him and flung my arms around him.

                I don't have much time.  There is an invasion army on its way to Theed.

                What?! He asked.

                The Federation has invaded Naboo.  I need to be with her highness, so I came to say goodbye.

                "They are assembled, Miss Napola."  Javier said from the dining room doorway.  I went in there with Natan and our staff of twenty watched us.  I smiled at them, comfortingly.

                "Now, I haven't much time, so please do not interrupt me."  I took a deep breath.  "The Trade Federation has invaded Naboo, and it is only a matter of time before they reach Theed.  Do not resist.  Her highness wants as little bloodshed as possible, so that means giving in for now.  Thank you."  The staff erupted into babbling amazement and Natan and I went outside to my speeder.

                I need to see Riv and Dek and Joss also. I said to him.  He nodded, we hugged, and I started to get back into my speeder.  I froze though, unsure, and turned back to him.  Oh, Natan, I'm so afraid! I cried as I ran into his arms.  I had to be strong for so many people; Natan was the only one left I could be weak with.

                I know baby sister, but you mustn't let them see your fear, it only gives them strength. He broke apart from our hug and pushed me gently into the speeder.  Be strong Rabé Aleen Napola.  For yourself, and for us. I nodded, wiping away tears and drove away, leaving my brother standing on the front steps of our home.  I drove to Dek's home, were Riv had been staying most of the time with Joss, who came for a holiday visit and had gotten stuck, and were Yané told me they were when she went to say good-bye.  A servant answered and I ducked under him and ran up to Dek's room, where all three of them sat, playing a simulator game.  They all looked up at me, surprised.

                "Rabé!"  Riv said with a smile on his face and they all got up to greet me. "What's-"

                "Dek!  I need to speak with everyone in the house.  Right now!"   I ordered.  Dek nodded and ran out of the room.  I hugged Riv and Joss.  "The Federation has invaded Naboo."  I told them as their jaws dropped open.  "There is an army on its way to Theed at this very moment."  

                "What?!"  Riv said, shocked.

                "Brace up boys, we are about to become Prisoners of War."  I said as Joss sat down, overwhelmed.  "I cannot stay long; I need to get back to Amidala, so I came to say good-bye."  Dek popped his head in.

                "We're all assembled, waiting for you."  He said.  I ran out the door and into the main hall, where they all stood, waiting.  Dek's parents, brother, sisters, and servants.  I stood on the stairs to be taller than them.  I spoke loudly, just enough for them to hear me, and me not to be shouting.

                "I have something very dire to tell you.  I ask that you not interrupt, for my time is short, and I need to get back to her highness."  I took a deep breath again, telling people that their doom is coming doesn't get easier the more you do it.  "The Trade Federation has invaded Naboo and an army is on its way to Theed at this very moment.  Her Highness, Queen Amidala, gives word for you to go with them.  She does not wish for innocent bloodshed.  Try to stay with your family and friends, hid your valuables, and may the force be with you."  And with that, I walked through the crowed and outside to my speeder.  Riv, Dek and Joss followed me. "I have to go."  I told them.  Joss understood, he always understood.  He came up and hugged me first.

                "Tell my father to be safe and not do anything foolish."  He said.

                "Of course."   I said.  Dek came up next.  

                "You be careful, and take care of Yané for us."

                "You be careful too, and Yané can take care of herself."

                He kissed me on my hood, where my forehead would be.  "You know what I mean."

                Riv came up to me last.  "If they hurt you-" He said, then hugged me tightly.

                "I know."  I said.  I broke apart from him and got in my speeder.  "Don't do anything stupid."  I warned them, unshed tears in my eyes and in my voice.

                "Would we do that?"  Dek asked innocently, trying to relive the dark mood.  Riv just stared at me, then he leaned down and kissed me on my cheek.  

                "You either."  He said and squeezed my shoulder.  I smiled one last time at them, gunned it, and drove back to the palace, parked, and ran up to Amidala's room.  I wiped the tears from my eyes.  _If I am scared, just image how Sabé must feel.  _I told myself._  Or Eirtaé or Saché or even Yané, who aren't trained as well as I am.  Sith, imagine how Ami must feel._  I got to Amidala's room, just in time; the Viceroy had landed in Theed.

                We were brought to the throne room, where the Viceroy, Sio Bibble, and Captain Panaka were waiting for us.  I could see the fear in Sabé's eyes, but she was determined not to give Amidala, 'Padmé', away.

                I was stripped of my gun before we entered the throne room, by a skinny excuse for a droid, who had a weapon scanner, which made me angry, Panaka and the six members of the Queen's personal guard were also stripped of their guns.  I felt off-balance without it.  Nute Gunray and the some other Neimoidian were waiting for us.  If anything, Nute Gunray looked slimier in person than over the holonet.

                "I have brought you here for a reason-" He began to Sabé, who cut him off.

                "I was _not_ brought here."  She said coldly, her voice slashing through his like a vibro-knife through cake.  "This is _my_ throne room, Nute Gunray.  I do _not_ recognize _your_ authority."  _Good burn Sabé!_  I thought to myself.  I worked hard to keep the smirk off my face, on either side of me, Padmé and Yané tried hard to do the same.

                "Come."  The Viceroy said, and he led us out of the throne room and down the stairs.  Sabé, Bibble and Nute Gunray walked in front, followed by a Neimoidian I didn't recognize, and Panaka, then finally us handmaidens and then the guards.

                "How will you explain this invasion to the Senate?"  Bibble demanded.  Trust him to speak out, regardless of the consequences.

                "The Queen and I will sign a treaty that will legitimize our occupation here.  I have assurances it will be ratified by the Senate."  _Assurances from who?_  I wondered.

                "I will not cooperate."  Sabé announced firmly.

                "Now now, your highness, in time, the suffering of your people will persuade you to see our point of view."  We reached and alcove where some battle droids waited for us.  "Commander?"  Gunray said.

                "Yes sir."

                "Process them."  Gunray said in a awful voice.  

                The droid took a quick look at us, then looked to another battle droid.  "Captain, take them to camp four."

                "Roger roger."  The captain said, and led us away.  Padmé and I walked right behind Panaka, with Eirtaé, Saché and Yané behind us, and the guards behind them.  We walked outside, and I was shocked.  People walked around in groups, surrounded by battle droids, I looked around and much to my surprise, I saw Riv, Dek and Joss being lead away by a group of droids.  Riv looked up and saw us, and I wished I could have waved to him.  I watched them being lead away and my concern grew for Natan.  What if he died?  What if I died?  I decided right then, that I would not die lying down.  If they wanted me, they were in for a fight.  If they wanted Amidala, they would be in for a fight.  If they wanted Naboo, they were in for a fight.

                ~~~


	19. Chapter 19

~~~

                The droids led us down a deserted street.  It would be a good place to attack them, if only I had my gun.  I could jump a droid and grab its gun, but the other droids would stop me unless we all attacked at the same time, plus the droid wouldn't provide much cover for my body.  I was skinny, but not that skinny.  I was deep in these thoughts, when, much to my surprise, and the surprise of everyone else, two Jedi leaped down from an overhang and attacked the droids, taking them _all_ out within seconds.  I stood in shock, not really noticing the Gungan that fell clumsily after the two Jedi, until the older of the two, obviously the Master, spoke to Sabé.

                "We should leave the streets your highness."  He was very calm and in control, and aura of self-awareness surrounded him.  He was very tall, with longish hair, part of which had been pulled back with a leather band and very bright blue eyes.  Bibble and Sabé followed the Jedi Master as we ran after them.  The younger of the two Jedi, older than me, but still with his Padawan braid, surveyed the area as Panaka told the troops to get the droid's guns.

                "I am Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn-" The older Jedi said.  _Qui-Gon Jinn!_  I thought.  _Wow._  "-and this is my Padawan," he gestured to the younger man who had short, sandy brown hair and intelligent blue eyes, that stood by Yané, "Obi-Wan Kenobi.  We were ambassadors for the Supreme Chancellor."

                "Your negotiations seemed to have failed, ambassador."  Bibble said, slightly snide.

                "The negotiations never took place."  Master Jinn corrected him.  "It's urgent that we make contact with the Republic."

                "They've knocked out all our communications."  Panaka told him.

                "Do you have transports?"  Master Jinn asked.

                "This way."  Panaka said, pointing to the hanger.  I was in shock.

                "How did they get down here?"  I murmured slightly to Padmé.

                "I don't know, but thank the force they did."  She murmured back.

                We quietly followed Panaka down the twisting streets, to the hanger.  The door was partially open, and we stood by it.  Master Jinn, Padawan Kenobi, the Gungan, Sabé and us handmaidens stood on the right, Panaka, Bibble and the six guards on the left.  Panaka took a quick look inside the hanger.

                "There are too many of them!"  He exclaimed, and there were a lot. From my vantage point, I could see at least twenty, and I was almost directly behind Sabé.

                Master Jinn took a casual look inside.  "It won't be a problem."  He said with the air of experience.  Panaka's eyes flashed with incredulity, then suspicion. Master Jinn turned to Sabé.  "Your highness, under the circumstances, I suggest you come to Coruscant with us."  _Coruscant!_  My mind screamed.  _No!_  But I steadied my mind, kept my face calm and tuned back in time to hear Sabé finish telling Master Jinn that her place was with her people.

                "They will kill you if you stay."  He stated firmly.  _What!!_  There was a brief moment of silence as we all took it in and got over the initial shock.

                "They wouldn't dare!"  Bibble finally sputtered.

                "They need her to sign a treaty to make this invasion of theirs legal.  They can't afford to kill her."  Panaka interjected, but I saw the uncertainly that clouded over part of his eyes.

                Master Jinn turned back to Sabé.  "There is something else behind all this, your highness.  There is no logic in the Federation's move here."  _No indeed_.  I thought.  I had always wondered why they choose Naboo.  There were other, far more important planets who opposed the tax increase more vocally than Amidala had.  "My feelings tell me that they will destroy you, then appoint a leader who _will_ sign the treaty."

                _Believe him_.  I thought.  Master Jinn was legendary in having good instincts and following through with them, therefore saving many lives and ending conflicts quickly.  _Oh, Sabé, believe him!_  Padmé shot a quick glance at Sabé, who had her attention riveted on the young Padawan.  _Oh, Sith!_  I thought in a sudden burst of comprehension.  _This'll be trouble_.  Padmé's eyes flickered over to me, to Master Jinn, and back.  To Coruscant?  She seemed to ask.  I nodded imperceptibly.  She looked away.  

                ". . .Senator Palpatine will need your help."  Bibble was finishing up, and I could have hit myself for not paying attention.

                "Either choice presents great danger," Sabé said, then looked directly to Padmé, "to us all."  _Great._  I thought.  _Scream it to the rooftops Sabé!  Good Gods._  My eyes flicked to Padmé_.  Go!_  I thought, fear clouded my thought, but something told me that we couldn't stay on Naboo.  _We must go!_

                "We are brave, your highness."  Padmé said, and I could hear the subtle anguish in her voice.

                "If we are to leave, your highness, it must be now."  Master Jinn said.

                "Then I shall plead our case before the Senate."  She turned to us handmaidens.  "Rabé, Padmé and Eirtaé, come with me."  I turned to Yané, tears in her eyes at being left behind.

                "Be brave."  I whispered to her as I embraced her.  "Don't let them see you suffer."          

                "I won't.  May the force be with you."  She said in a muffled voice.

                "And with you.  Good-bye _carrasera_."  Which meant closest friend, in Ma'lacian.  Her eyes widened as she understood.

                "Good-bye _carrasera_."  She whispered back.

                "Be careful Governor."  Sabé said, and Padmé, Eirtaé and I followed her and Panaka into the hanger.  The guards and the Gungan trailed behind us.

                "We'll need to free those pilots."  Panaka said, pointing to a small group of people surrounded by droids.  _Why?_  I thought.  _So Ric Olié can fly us directly at the blockade and ram us up the nose of a starship? I_ am a better pilot than he is.

                "I'll deal with that."  Padawan Kenobi said, restraining Panaka, then veering off towards the pilots.  Padmé stared at his back.

                "Is he insane?!"  She hissed to Eirtaé and me.

                "He knows what he is doing."  Eirtaé said, her voice bordering on reverence and her eyes very bright as she focused all her attention on the back of the Padawan.  "He has the force as his ally."

                We reached the boarding ramp.  Master Jinn stopped in front of the droid in charge and motioned for us to do the same.

                "Halt."  The droid said in a mechanical voice.  _Here comes the hard part._  I thought.

                "Be ready to move." I whispered to Padmé and Eirtaé.

                "I'm ambassador to the Supreme Chancellor."  Master Jinn said.  "I'm taking these people to Coruscant."

                "Where are you taking them?"  The droid asked, confused.

                "To Coruscant."

                "Coruscant, ah, that doesn't compute, ah, wait, ah, you're under arrest."  He finally said, pointing a three-fingered hand at Master Jinn's chest.  I never thought I would hear a droid stutter.

                Jedi don't like being arrested, and Master Jinn's lightsaber flashed through the air before I could blink.  I jumped, as did the rest of the entourage, and I heard commotion to the left.  I looked and saw Padawan Kenobi split kick two droids and take out a third with his lightsaber.  The pilots watched in dumbfounded amazement.  I unconsciously moved with the group up the boarding ramp.  I was absolutely enraptured with the fight, and wished I had my gun.

                I felt a hand on my back and saw Lt. Aloian guiding me up the ramp.  I blinked in surprise; he wasn't a normal member of the Queen's Personal Guard.

                "Come on."  He said.  "We need to get you and her highness strapped in."  He snorted in derision.  "With Ric at the controls you can bet your hairy wookiee it's gonna be a helluva ride."

                "Oh no."  I moaned.  "Not Ric!  Why not Taj Sa'keel or Jorré Blancha?"

                He shrugged, and we went our separate ways, me to the throne room, where I strapped in next to Padmé, and he to the cockpit.  I wish I could have gone to the cockpit with him.  Padmé was tensed up, and I could tell that she wanted to be in the cockpit too.  I took her hand and squeezed it as the ship rocked back and forth.  She squeezed gratefully back as we jostled around some more.  I had traveled on a lot of starships and never once been sick, but I was getting close this time, and I was not the only one.  

Sabé rocked back in forth in the throne with her eyes closed, hands grasping the arms of the throne tightly, taking deep breaths; Eirtaé's face was most defiantly green, I could see it from the other side of the room; and Padmé looked ill.  I closed my eyes and started a breathing exercise that Zak had shown me a year and a half ago.

                The ship rocked violently, and I heard alarms go off in the cockpit.  I looked worriedly at Padmé, and I could see that she wanted to jump up and run to the cockpit at that very moment.  Her duties, like all of our duties, held her back.  I couldn't disagree with her though, I wanted nothing more to run up there and take over the controls.

                "What is that idiot doing?"  I asked as the ship rocked back and forth, trying to relieve some of the tension.

                "If I had known he was this bad," Padmé growled, "I would have forced him into retirement a long time ago."

                It finally stopped, but I didn't feel the rush that was usually associated with the jump to hyperspace.  I unbuckled and so did Padmé and Eirtaé, and we flanked Sabé as Panaka, Aloian, the Jedi, and one dirty little astromech droid came into the Throne room.

                "Captain," Sabé said, "what is our situation?"

                "Our hyperdrive is down, your highness."  Panaka reported.  _Not good._  I thought.  "However, we managed to get past the blockade thanks to an extremely well put together little droid.  Without a doubt, it saved the ship, as well as our lives."

                "It is to be commended.  What is its number?"  Sabé asked regally.

                Panaka looked down at the droid's registration.  "R2-D2, your highness."  He said, straightening up.

                "Thank-you R2-D2."  The droid whistled something I don't think anybody quite understood, but which everyone could approximately translate into 'You're welcome.'  

"Padmé!"  Sabé said.  "Clean this droid up as best you can.  It deserves our gratitude."  Padmé walked over to the droid, in front of Sabé.  _Clever Sabé_.  I thought.  Good way to see what Padmé is telling you to do, although Padmé _did_ need to pull her hood down more over her eyes.  "Continue Captain."  Sabé said.

                Panaka looked at the Jedi, who had been standing quietly to the right.  Master Jinn stepped forward.

                "With your permission, we are heading for a remote planet called Tatoonie.  It's in a system far beyond the reach of the Trade Federation."  He added that last sentence almost as reassurance for her, which insulted me greatly.  _I'm just as brave as you are Qui-Gon Jinn._  I thought to him.  He turned and looked directly at me.  _Oh Gods_.  I thought, horrified_.  He probably read my mind_.  I cleared my brain and focused on the floor.  Master Jinn looked back to Sabé.

                Panaka stepped forward, his eyes dark.  "I do not agree with the Jedi on this."

                "You must trust my judgment, your highness."  Master Jinn said.         

                Sabé looked at Padmé, who nodded slightly.  "So be it, Master Jedi."  Sabé stood up, and Eirtaé and I stepped forward.  Padmé, R2-D2 and Panaka stepped back to the left, and the Jedi stepped back to the right.  "I shall retire for now.  Alert me with we reach Tatoonie, Captain."

                "Yes, your highness."  Panaka said with a bow, and we left the room and walked to the Queen's room.  

                "Rabé, get this headdress off me before my neck snaps in two!"  Sabé commanded as she flopped into a chair.

                "All right Sabé."  I said as Eirtaé went over to the consul and had some soothing music piped in.

                "Did you see that Jedi Padawan!"  Sabé cried.  "Whoa!  Talk about a hottie!"

                "Sabé," I said patiently, "He's at least ten years older than us."

                "That can't stop me from looking."  She said haughtily.

                A retort hovered hot on my lips, but Eirtaé interrupted.  "Did you see the way they took out those battle droids!"  She asked, thrill in her voice.  "I nearly screamed with excitement!  I can't _wait_ to get to Coruscant. . ."

                I stopped listening then, and wandered over to a chair.  To Coruscant, and the Senate.  I closed my eyes and I could almost smell the ozone and hear the hiss of Zak's lightsaber.  The image of father falling to the ground came to mind, and my hand unconsciously went to my neck, where Riv's necklace hung against my breastbone.  I clutched it tight and hoped it would bring us good luck.  I tried not to think of him or Dek or Joss or Yané or Natan or anyone else I had left behind.  

                But then it came, Riv's wicked grin when we went especially fast on his speeder bike, Dek's boisterous laughter when he knew we were doing something dangerous, the mischievous twinkle that haunted Yané's eyes, the way Joss would raise his hands to the sky and ask, 'Why me?' in slightly mocking tones.  Natan, my only brother left, how could I sum him up in one feeling?  My grandparents in Oxon, what could they be thinking?  Would they survive the invasion and the camps?  I felt sick.  I forced myself not to think of it and quickly stood up.

                "I-I need to walk for a moment."  I said.  "I'll be back soon."  Sabé nodded absentmindedly as she and Eirtaé continued to talk about Padawan Kenobi.

                ~~~


	20. Chapter 20

~~~

                I went up to the cockpit, and found it, thankfully, deserted.  Ric had set it on autopilot, and no one else was in there.  I pulled my hood off, let out a sigh, sprawled out in the pilot's seat, and looked outside, the stars flashed by as pin-pricks of light.  It was very beautiful.  

                I felt terrible, people were bound to die on Naboo, and I sort of felt like we had abandoned them.  I also felt like I had betrayed my friends by leaving, especially Yané.  She had as much right to go as I did, and I did not even want to go.  I didn't understand why all the handmaidens couldn't come, there was plenty of room, but it was too late for regrets now.  It wasn't as if we could turn the ship around and go get them.

                I dug deeper into myself and found anger.  I made a small face.  At what?  The Neimoidians for sure, but that wasn't it.  I thought about it for a moment.  Sabé!  I was angry at her and Eirtaé for fantasizing over Padawan Kenobi while our people where suffering at the hands of those ugly lizard-people!  I slammed my fist against the arm of the chair and swore harshly in Ma'lacian, which is actually quite a musical language, so it didn't sound all that harsh.

                The door slid open while I was swearing, and Padmé came in.  "I thought I could find you here."  She said calmly.  "Although the swearing _was_ a surprise."  I swiveled my chair to face her, rubbing my fingers on my temple to relieve my sudden headache that Sabé and Eirtaé had given me.

                "Do you realize, that at this very moment, Eirtaé and Sabé are gushing over Padawan Kenobi while our people are being rounded up and put into camps?"  I asked her.  Padmé nodded and rolled her eyes.

                "Yes, I know.  But what am I to do?  It won't get us to Coruscant any faster, and it helps them relax."

                "I know something that could help them relax."  I growled.

                "Stop that!  The last thing we want is to be fighting among ourselves.  The only way to get through this crisis is to stay strong together."  Padmé commanded.

                "I know, but they make me so angry."

                Padmé then, wisely, changed the subject.  "How close are we to Tatoonie?"

                I checked the consul.  "Approximately five days."

                "Hmmmm."  She said, it was quiet for a moment.  "Let's go back to the others, okay?"  I nodded and we went back to the Queen's room, where they were still talking about Kenobi.

                _ARRRRGGHhhh_… I thought.

                Five long days later, Ric Olié informed us that we where going to be landing on Tatoonie in about two hours.  Padmé looked around hesitantly then spoke up.

                "I'm going with Master Jinn when we land on Tatoonie."

                We all  stared.  

"What?"  Sabé sputtered.

"Do you think that is wise?"  I asked dubiously.  The Queen of Naboo running around on in an eight rate spaceport on a tenth rate planet...I did _not_ want to know where that would lead.

                She shrugged.  "I want to know what is going on and there is no way Master Jinn will tell the Queen all that has happened on Tatoonie.  Master Jinn won't object because having me come will make him look less threatening.  Besides, it'll only be for a few hours."

                I nodded.  There was no use arguing with her.  "Makes sense."  I said instead of 'Have you completely lost your mind!?'  _A Queen, a Jedi, a Gungan and a Droid land on Tatoonie.  Sounds like the start of a bad joke.  _I thought sardonically to myself.  Padmé spoke with Eirtaé briefly, then spoke to us all again.__

                "I'll take a comlink with me, so we can stay in touch.  I need you to do my hair." She said to me.  "Something simple and we'll need to get the clothes from storage."

                "Yes.  Good thing you didn't unload the clothes you packed when you threatened to go to Coruscant."

                She laughed.  "Yes, good thing indeed."  I pulled up my hood and Padmé and I walked out to the lift that took us down to the first level, leaving Sabé and Eirtaé to talk.  Padawan Kenobi and Master Jinn were down there, conferring about the hyperdrive.  Padmé and I curtsied to them, and they bowed back.  Padmé then did something, handmaidens are not supposed to do at all.  Engage in conversation.

                "What is wrong with the hyperdrive?"  She asked.  I winced.  _Stop breaking the rules!_

                Master Jinn and Padawan Kenobi stared at us in amazement.  "When we got hit by the Federation ship, it rocked the hyperdrive and broke the coolant container.  The coolant leaked out over the wires and short-circuited them."  Master Jinn said respectfully. 

                "Oh."  Padmé said thoughtfully.  I grimaced.  _Don't ask any more questions.  Just get the stuff and let's go!_  I thought at her impatiently.  "Thank you for explaining it to me."  Then we both turned and they then continued with their conversation.  Padmé and I went over to one of the clothing boxes and I was about to engage the repulsors that float the luggage like a landspeeder when Padawan Kenobi came over to us.

                "Do you need a hand?  That looks pretty heavy."  He said.

                _Oh, brother._  I thought.  _Trying to do your macho deed of the day?  Well, it's not going to be for me, thank you very much._  I gave him a small smile and activated the repulsors.  The luggage lifted a meter into the air, and Padmé easily pushed it to the lift with one hand.  

"I think we can handle it, Padawan Kenobi."  I said impertinently.  "But thank-you for your kind offer."  I gave him a short bow and walked to the lift.  The door closed and my last look of him was with a disbelieving half-smile on his face.  Padmé and I burst into giggles.  The door opened and we easily pushed the heavy luggage to the Queen's bedchamber.  Where, not to any surprise on my part, Sabé and Eirtaé were again talking about Padawan Kenobi.

                _Disgusting._  I thought.  Padmé pulled off the first couple of layers of the flame dress, and I undid the braids in her hair.  I lectured her on talking to people, which is something handmaidens don't do and got her to promise to not do it again in the future.  I did her hair, which took about a half hour, while she told me about her encounter with the Gungan, Jar-Jar Binks.  Who, she claimed, was very innocent and charming.  I teased her about finding a perfect husband so young, and it seemed to relieve some of the stress we were facing.

                "There."  I finally said.  "Done."

                "Perfect."  She said crisply.  "Eirtaé, is my outfit ready?"

                "Yes Padmé."  Eirtaé said.  Panaka then knocked on the door and told us to buckle in for landing on Tatoonie.  We buckled in and got jostled around as we bumpily landed on Tatoonie.  Padmé quickly changed into a rough spun pants, shirt and tunic combo.  Panaka knocked on the door again.  

                "Master Jinn just left."  He announced.

                "What?!"  Padmé exclaimed.  "Wait!  You have to take me to him!"

                "Here Padmé!"  I said, picking up a comlink and tossing it to her.

                "Thanks.  See you in a couple hours."  Then she hurriedly left with Captain Panaka.  Leaving, no, _deserting_, me with Sabé, Eirtaé and their fantasies about Padawan Kenobi.  Ugh.  Needless to say, I couldn't _wait_ for Padmé to come back later with the hyperdrive.

                ~~~


	21. Chapter 21

.

                ~~~

                After putting up with them for about an hour, I decided to go out and see Tatoonie for myself and I must say, I wasn't impressed.  There were some rocks, then some sand, then some more rocks, then a lot more sand.  I shook my head.  The whole planet is one giant dustball.  You could probably not find a planet _more_ different from Naboo.

                "What a waste of rock."  I muttered aloud to myself.

                "You got that right."  I must have jumped two meters in the air.  I turned to find Padawan Kenobi leaning against the boarding ramp, a smirk on his face.

                "Padawan Kenobi," I said, trying desperately to regain my dignity, "you really must learn to be louder in your approach."  I smiled politely at him.  I really wasn't that impressed with either him or Master Jinn.  So far, all they had been was trouble, distractions, and long detours.

                "I'll remember that."  He said, walking towards me.  "I've just heard from Qui-Gon.  The junk dealer he was working with, Watto, won't take Republic Credits."

                My smile fell from my lips.  "Oh no."  I paused, then asked kind of delicately.  "Did Master Jinn attempt to, ah," I waved my hand in his face.

                A genuine grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.  "Yes.  Qui-Gon tried to mind-trick him.  But somehow, Watto resisted."

                "And we have nothing else of value to barter with."  I said slowly, running the inventory of the ship through my head at lightspeed.

                "Unless you have a hidden cache of spice, or would be willing to sell yourself as a slave, that is correct."

                I gave him a faint little smile.  _Yeah, right.  You try selling me as a slave and I'll hurt that pretty little face of yours._  I thought.  He gave me a sudden look.  _Shavit.__  I have to stop thinking in front of Jedi_.  I thought, frustrated.  I sighed and cleared my mind.  "Have you told Captain Panaka yet?"  I asked politely.

                "No.  I was on my way to tell him, and I saw you come down here.  I figured I would tell you first."

                Again, I gave him the faint little smile.  "I am honored."  I said.  The sarcasm I had originally planned to be in there was gone.  Mostly.

                He returned the faint little smile and squinted at me through the glare of Tatoonie's twin suns.  "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage."  

                "Oh?"  I asked innocently.  "How so?"

                "You know my name, and I have no idea of yours."

                I hesitated.  _Handmaidens are anonymous.  They are unknown, unseen and only window decoration to the Queen.  This misperception will give you your advantage._  Panaka's voice rang in my head.  I lifted my head high, I was feeling rather defiant.  I stuck my hand out at him.  "Rabé Napola."

                He took my hand and kissed it.  "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Handmaiden Napola."  He released my hand.

                I laughed slightly.  "You are supposed to shake my hand, not kiss it."  I reprimanded him gently.  "You are quite the gentleman."  I was quite surprised by his behavior.  No one had ever kissed my hand before.  I started to smile at him, then caught myself.  _Whoa there Napola.  Get a grip on it.  You don't want to be obsessive-compulsive stalkers like Sabé and Eirtaé; he's just a stupid Jedi.  _

                He shrugged, a slight smile on his face.  "Bad habits die hard."  He said.  A sudden gust of wind came up on us unexpectedly and nearly blew me over.

                "Another reason to hate this blasted place."  I growled as Padawan Kenobi helped me regain my balance.  "Thank you.  I should be getting back to her highness."  I hastily pulled my hand out of his.  _Careful.__  You're a Handmaiden, you're a handmaiden, don't you dare get distracted._

                "Of course."  He bowed and I went back into the ship, passing Panaka on my way in, and pausing only to dump the sand out of my shoes that had accumulated there.  _Well, _that_ was a strange encounter_.  I thought. 

                I went to the Queen's chamber, Eirtaé and Sabé looked at me, looked at each other and then back at me.

                "We've heard from Padmé."  Eirtaé said.

                "Really?"  I said, apparently uninterested, as I picked up some of the things they had gotten out and put them away.

                "Yes."  She continued a bit smugly.  "They couldn't find a hyperdrive."

                I let a small frown crease my forehead.  "Really?  Padawan Kenobi told me that they found one, but the dealer wouldn't take Republic credits."  I said in an innocent tone.  Both of their mouths dropped open.  Okay, so I'm petty.  Big deal.  Everyone is entitled to a little pettiness every once in a while.  This was my ration for the past three years and the next two.  The intercom buzzed, and I answered it.  "Yes?"

                "There is a sandstorm outside, which prevents Master Jinn and Handmaiden Naberrie from returning today.  We are also receiving a message from home.  We are requesting her highness' presence in the Throne room to see it."

                "We will be there in a moment."  I turned off the intercom, and turned to find Sabé and Eirtaé still gaping at me.  "Well, don't just stand there."  I scolded them.  "Where did the headdress go?  Eirtaé, fix Sabé's make-up and pull up your hood.  Sabé, you are queen, act like it, and smooth back your hair for forces sake."

                Both of their mouth shut, and within two minutes we were back in the Throne room.  Sabé sat on the throne with Eirtaé and me on either side of her.  Panaka, Padawan Kenobi and another Security Officer came in and sat down on the retractable benches.  Panaka and the Security Officer leaned back, but Padawan Kenobi spread his legs apart, leaned forward on them and watched intently.  Sio Bibble's angst-ridden face shimmered into view, and my heart nearly broke.

                "The death toll is catastrophic.  We _must_ bow to their wishes.  You _must_ contact me."  Sio Bibble flickered from sight.  I could feel Eirtaé and Sabé's distress.  Padawan Kenobi jumped to his feet.

                "It's a trick."  He announced tersely.  "Send no reply.  Send no transmissions of any kind."  And with that, he walked out of the door.  _What does he take us for?_  I thought_.  Of course we won't send any transmissions!  Did he take us for fools just because we are still not legally adults?  Argh!  _Some people can be just so arrogant.  All respect that I had previously held for him suddenly dissipated into thin air.

                However, he was right about the trick.  How did Bibble get hold of a holonet station unless the Neimoidians let him?  Or unless the kept him in the Palace, and he snuck and got to one.  Even then, though, if we contacted him back, what are the odds that he would answer it?  He was a prisoner, and prisoners are _usually_ not allowed access to holonet stations in their cells.

                Still, seeing Bibble reminded me of Joss, and Joss reminded me of Riv, Dek and Yané, and they remind me of Natan, who reminds me of Coruscant.  Coruscant.  Why must I face it now, when there is a crisis going on?  Sabé got up and she, Eirtaé and I went back to our quarters, where Sabé announced that she was going to contact Padmé.  I asked Eirtaé and Sabé if they wanted something to eat, and they both said yes.  I had learned to cook when we went to Coruscant, and I was the only one on the ship who could cook.  

                I went down to the small galley and started to prepare some food for them.  I didn't realize how hungry I was until I smelled the nerf I was preparing for Sabé and Eirtaé.  Even though I am a vegetarian, the meat had a delicious aroma.  I wondered about Yané, who had been a vegetation before me, and if she was starving with the rest of the Naboo.  I then came to the realization that my sleeves were dragging in the pan, so I swore and pinned them up around my shoulders, cursing the Naboo fashion sense, all the while wishing for a sensible pair of pants and a tunic. 

                The aroma worked its way around the ship, which had been sealed off because of the sandstorm, and pretty soon I had visitors, begging for food like scavenger birds.  I promised them all food and made some quick calculations.  Six Palace guards plus three handmaidens plus two Security Officers plus four Security Guards plus three pilots plus Captain Panaka plus Padawan Kenobi equals a lot of work for me.  Twenty people minus Sabé and Eirtaé equals eighteen.  I sighed.  I was going to be cooking for a _long_ time.

                ~~~


	22. Chapter 22

                ~~~

                I gave Sabé and Eirtaé's food to Lt. Aloian for delivery and then made some food for the six guards, who all ate so quickly I thought that they would be sick for sure.  I then made food for the Security Guards and pilots, and when I served Ric the bantha I had burned by accident (okay, so maybe not entirely by accident) I could tell he was resisting the urge to slap me on the butt and ask for more beer, like he would at the pilot bars he frequented.  I sort of wish he had tried.  That would have given me an excuse to beat him into oblivion.

                When they finished, I finally got the pleasure of making Panaka, the Security Officers, Padawan Kenobi and myself food.  I was especially excited about the 'myself' part.  I made some bantha for Panaka, the Security Officers and Padawan Kenobi and a salad and a couple pieces of bread for myself.  There are not too many vegetarian options on the ship.  Panaka and the Officers were there in a flash, thanking me for the food and shoving it in their mouths.  I went in search of Padawan Kenobi.

                After a few moments (it doesn't take that much time to search the ship, I was beginning to realize how small it was) I located Padawan Kenobi in the astromech hold, by process of elimination, which would now be empty.   I took the lift down to the astro-hold.  I stepped out and found Padawan Kenobi sitting on the floor, legs crossed, eyes closed, hands on his knees, in meditation.  I frowned.  _Should I interrupt him or not?  Probably not._  

                I turned quietly from Padawan Kenobi and called the lift.

                "Was there something you needed?"  Padawan Kenobi's voice cut through the quiet.  I jumped again and turned quickly back to him.

                "Do you enjoy making me jump?"  I asked, irritated.

                Blue eyes twinkled mischievously as brown-blond eyebrows raised.  "My stealth training was extremely good."

                "That doesn't mean you get to use it all the time."  I snapped.  "Besides which, you weren't doing anything particularly stealthy right then."  I glared at him, then took a deep breath, I really didn't know how to act around him.  I regained my composure.  "You dinner is ready."  I said a bit stiffly.

                He stood up and stretched.  "Wonderful.  If you could show me the way?"  He asked, gesturing to the now-arrived lift.

                "Of course."  I said woodenly.  I walked into the lift, him right behind me.  It was very silent until the lift stopped and we got out.  "This way please."  I lead him to the galley, past Eirtaé and Panaka, some of the pilots and the Queen's chamber.  We sat on opposites sides of the table and engrossed ourselves in our food.  It was very, very quiet between us.

"So," I said finally, "have you heard form Master Jinn?"  I asked.

                 "Yes."  He said in a somewhat surprised voice.  "I told him about the transmission from your governor.  He believes I am right, that it is a trap."

                "Yes.  I wondered how Governor Bibble got hold of a comm station without the Neimoidians letting him."  A frown creased my forehead.  "If I may inquire, where, exactly, are they staying?"

                "They are staying with the slaves of Watto."

                "Oh."  A moment of silence past between us.  Padawan Kenobi's outward appearance reminded me a great deal of Zak, and the thought of Zak made Coruscant seem _much_ more bearable.  Padawan Kenobi's eyes flicked towards me, and I quickly looked away and forced a laugh.

                "I was just thinking about how you look a great deal like someone I know."

                He looked at me with amused, patronizing eyes.  "Really?  Who?"

                I held my head high.  "Padawan Zak Dahamas."

                He grinned, then burst out into laughter.  "I suppose it's true on the outside, but-"

                "On the inside you are anything but similar." I interrupted, relived he wasn't going to be insulted or act like an idiot. "You are polite and Zak-"

                "-thinks with his feelings."  He said in a very diplomatic voice.

                "You are rather sober and quiet;"

                "-he is rather obnoxious and loud."

                "Exactly."

                "Poor Plo. Sometimes I wondered what he was thinking. The kid's a genius with a lightsaber, but notoriously undiplomatic."  He paused, looked at me. "How do you know Zak?"

                I hesitated. "I went to Coruscant with my family a year and a half ago. Events transpired that required my brother and I to need a Jedi escort home. Master Plo and Zak were our escort."

                "What of the rest of your family?"  He asked, confused.  "Didn't they need an escort also?"

                I hesitated as pain flashed through me, quick and hard.  An explosion flashed before my eyes and screams echoed in my ears.  I blinked and forced it away quickly, but Padawan Kenobi sensed it and spoke up.

                "It's none of my business, you don't need to-"

                "They were killed."  I said quietly, remember the assassin droids and the explosion that rocked downtown Coruscant as Padawan Kenobi fell silent, watching me.  "Assassinated.  On Coruscant.  My brother and I were the only ones left who needed an escort."

                Padawan Kenobi leaned forward and squeezed my hand.  "I'm terribly sorry."  He said quietly.  "I can't image how I would feel if I lost Qui-Gon."

                It was quiet for a moment, but not the awkward silence of strangers.  It was a more comfortable somehow.  I relaxed a little in his presence.

                Padawan Kenobi got up.  "Are you done?  I'll take your plate for you."  He offered.  Was this some kind of weird sympathy I was getting from him?

                "No.  That's okay, I can do it."

                "Don't be ridiculous.  You made food for everyone on this ship, the least I can do is the dishes."  And with that he took my empty bowl.  "All you had to eat was salad?!"  He asked, incredulous.

                I shrugged.  "Not too many vegetarian options."

                He raised an eyebrow.  "And a vegetarian at that.  Is there anything you don't do, superwoman?"  He asked in a teasing tone.  

                I gave him a smirk and checked my chrono.  It was very late.  2324 in fact.  "I should get back to her highness."  I told him.  "Thank-you for cleaning up."

                "Thank-you for dinner."

                I shrugged again.  "That's my job."  And with that, I went to the Queen's chamber.  Sabé sat in a chair, in her bathrobe, face paint washed off and her hair hanging down her back.  Eirtaé was wrapped in a towel, fresh from the shower.  They were still talking about Padawan Kenobi.  I thought I would scream.

                "What are you doing?"  I asked, annoyed.

                They looked at me blankly.  "What?"  Sabé asked.

                I walked over to my bunk and flopped down on it.  "All you do is talk about Padawan Kenobi.  For the love of the Force, just _shut up_."

                Eirtaé looked at me in shock and stomp back into the 'fresher.  Sabé's eyes flashed.  "Don't tell me what I can and cannot do."  She said imperiously.

                "Why can't you just not talk about him for once?"  I asked in an irritated tone.  "He's not _that_ amazing."

                "He saved our lives."  Sabé said.  "He's cute and nice and intelligent."

                "Intelligent?"  I snorted.  "_I_ could have told you not to send any transmittions."

                "Eirtaé told me she saw you two together."

                "I made him dinner."  I said flatly.  "I made everybody dinner."

                "That was a half hour ago."  Sabé said jealously.

                I rolled my eyes.  _Oh brother_.  "What is wrong with you?"  I finally demanded.  "You are the Queen.  If you continue acting like this, you'll give Padmé away because of your ridiculous obsession.  Stop acting so silly."

                "So you think I'm silly now, do you?"

                I gritted my teeth.  What is she doing?  Did she want a fight or something?  Fine.  She would get it.  "Yes Sabé, you _are_ acting silly.  You are acting stupid; you are acting like a spoiled brat."  I rolled over on my side and stared at the wall.  "Didn't your acting instructors teach you anything?"  I asked her snottily.  "Even _I_ know you need to stay in character.  And right now, you're not."  I said snidely.

                She stood up, her hands balled into fists.  "Why don't _you_ be decoy then, if you think it is so easy?"  She spit out at me.

                I rolled back over to look at her.  "Can't."  I said sweetly.  "Padawan Kenobi knows me by name.  It would cast suspicion on us if you were to suddenly appear and I would suddenly disappear."

                Her mouth dropped open.  "He knows you by name!"  She gasped.  "You know that's against the regulations!  I am going to report you to Panaka and you are going to be in so much trouble…"  Her voice grated on my ears and I gritted my teeth to keep from screaming.

                "Sabé."  I said as patiently as I could manage as I sat up.  "Shut the hell up."  And with that I stood up and marched out the door, frustrated and angry.  I needed some air; it was far too stuffy and hot in the ship. I stomped past Captain Panaka.

                "Has that _stupid_ sandstorm finished yet?" I asked him in an angry voice.

                He looked at me, startled; I don't think he has ever seen me this upset before.  "Yes. Ended about a half-hour ago."  He said in a surprised voice.

                "Good." I said fiercely and brushed past him. I took the lift down and opened up the boarding ramp. Cool air rushed in from the outside. I calmed down and took off my shoes, walked barefoot down the ramp and into the cool sand. I walked away from the ship to the top of the first sand dune and looked up at the sky. 

                It was very clear out, clearer then it ever was on Naboo. The stars shone brightly and the lights of Mos Espa twinkled in the distance. I wondered which star was Naboo's and I found myself wishing I could share this with my friends. Friends. Their images came back to me and my hand clutched Riv's necklace as tears began to slip down my cheeks. Were we doing the right thing? I wished I knew how my friends were doing, and what they were thinking.  How they were feeling.

                I thought of my argument with Sabé. I couldn't understand how she and Eirtaé could act so immature.  I am the youngest, smallest person on the ship, and here I am, giving orders, taking care of everything and everyone. Eirtaé doesn't have much of a leadership presence, but Sabé does, why is she wasting it? And their whole infatuation with Padawan Kenobi; sure, he's good-looking, but now is most defiantly not the time for such thoughts. Plus, even a relationship now with him was a slightly disgusting thought. Sabé and I are fourteen and Eirtaé fifteen. Padawan Kenobi is at least twenty-two. 

                I shuddered, attempted a laugh, failed, wiped my eyes dry, and walked back inside the warm ship.

                Sabé and Eirtaé were in bed with the lights off when I came in.  I changed and threw my sand-covered dress in the washer-dryer and went to bed.  I surprised myself by falling almost instantly asleep.

                ~~~


End file.
